UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

 
   

X

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

   
 

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2006

 

OR

 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13
OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

   
 

For the transition period from ____________ to ____________


Commission
File Number

Registrant, State of Incorporation, Address of
Principal Executive Offices, Telephone Number, and
IRS Employer Identification No.

 


Commission
File Number

Registrant, State of Incorporation, Address of
Principal Executive Offices, Telephone Number, and
IRS Employer Identification No.

1-11299

ENTERGY CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
639 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70113
Telephone (504) 576-4000
72-1229752

 

1-31508

ENTERGY MISSISSIPPI, INC.
(a Mississippi corporation)
308 East Pearl Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Telephone (601) 368-5000
64-0205830

         
         

1-10764

ENTERGY ARKANSAS, INC.
(an Arkansas corporation)
425 West Capitol Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Telephone (501) 377-4000
71-0005900

 

0-5807

ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS, INC.
(a Louisiana corporation)
1600 Perdido Street, Building 529
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
Telephone (504) 670-3620
72-0273040

         
         

1-27031

ENTERGY GULF STATES, INC.
(a Texas corporation)
350 Pine Street
Beaumont, Texas 77701
Telephone (409) 838-6631
74-0662730

 

1-9067

SYSTEM ENERGY RESOURCES, INC.
(an Arkansas corporation)
Echelon One
1340 Echelon Parkway
Jackson, Mississippi 39213
Telephone (601) 368-5000
72-0752777

         
         

1-32718

ENTERGY LOUISIANA, LLC
(a Texas limited liability company)
446 North Boulevard
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
Telephone (225) 381-5868
75-3206126

     

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Registrant


Title of Class

Name of Each Exchange
on Which Registered

     

Entergy Corporation

Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value - 198,309,610
shares outstanding at February 28, 2007


Equity Units, 7.625%

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Chicago Stock Exchange Inc.
NYSE Arca, Inc.

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

Mortgage Bonds, 6.7% Series due April 2032
Mortgage Bonds, 6.0% Series due November 2032

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $100 Par Value:
$4.40 Dividend Series
$4.52 Dividend Series
$5.08 Dividend Series
Adjustable Rate Series B (Depository Receipts)


New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

Entergy Louisiana, LLC

Mortgage Bonds, 7.6% Series due April 2032

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

Mortgage Bonds, 6.0% Series due November 2032
Mortgage Bonds, 7.25% Series due December 2032

New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

     

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Registrant

Title of Class

   

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $100 Par Value
Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $0.01 Par Value

   

Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $100 Par Value

   

Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $100 Par Value

   

Entergy New Orleans, Inc.

Preferred Stock, Cumulative, $100 Par Value

Indicate by check mark if the registrants are well-known seasoned issuers, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes o No þ

Indicate by check mark if the registrants are not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants (1) have filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrants were required to file such reports), and (2) have been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrants' knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of "accelerated filer and large accelerated filer" in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Large
accelerated
filer

 



Accelerated filer

 


Non-accelerated filer

Entergy Corporation

Ö

       

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

       

Ö

Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

       

Ö

Entergy Louisiana, LLC

       

Ö

Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

       

Ö

Entergy New Orleans, Inc.

       

Ö

System Energy Resources, Inc.

       

Ö

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are shell companies (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act.) Yes o No þ

System Energy Resources meets the requirements set forth in General Instruction I(1) of Form 10-K and is therefore filing this Form 10-K with reduced disclosure as allowed in General Instruction I(2). System Energy Resources is reducing its disclosure by not including Part III, Items 10 through 13 in its Form 10-K.

The aggregate market value of Entergy Corporation Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value, held by non-affiliates as of the end of the second quarter of 2006, was $14.7 billion based on the reported last sale price of $70.75 per share for such stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2006. Entergy Corporation is the sole holder of the common stock of Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States, Inc., Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy New Orleans, Inc., and System Energy Resources, Inc. Entergy Corporation is also the sole holder of the common stock of Entergy Louisiana Holdings, Inc., which is the sole holder of the common membership interests in Entergy Louisiana, LLC.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Proxy Statement of Entergy Corporation to be filed in connection with its Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held May 4, 2007, are incorporated by reference into Parts I and III hereof.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

SEC Form 10-K
Reference Number

Page
Number

     

Definitions

 

i

Entergy's Business

Part I. Item 1.

1

  Financial Information for Utility and Non-Utility Nuclear

 

2

  Strategy

 

3

Report of Management

 

4

  Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita

 

5

    Results of Operations

 

9

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

16

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

25

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

39

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

45

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

47

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

48

  Consolidated Statements of Income For the Years Ended December 31, 2006,
   2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

49

  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31,
   2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

50

  Consolidated Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

52

  Consolidated Statements of Retained Earnings, Comprehensive Income, and
   Paid in Capital for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

54

Notes to Financial Statements

Part II. Item 8.

55

  Utility

Part I. Item 1.

165

    Customers

 

165

    Electric Energy Sales

 

165

    Retail Rate Regulation

 

167

    Property and Other Generation Resources

 

173

    Fuel Supply

 

177

    Federal Regulation of the Utility

 

179

    Service Companies

 

183

    Entergy Louisiana Corporate Restructuring

 

183

    Earnings Ratios

 

185

  Non-Utility Nuclear

Part I. Item 1.

185

    Property

 

185

    Energy and Capacity Sales

 

186

    Fuel Supply

 

186

    Other Business Activities

 

187

  Energy Commodity Services

Part I. Item 1.

188

    Non-Nuclear Wholesale Assets Business

 

188

    Entergy-Koch, L.P.

 

188

  Regulation of Entergy's Business

Part I. Item 1.

189

    PUHCA 2005

 

189

    Federal Power Act

 

189

    State Regulation

 

189

    Regulation of the Nuclear Power Industry

 

190

    Environmental Regulation

 

193

  Litigation

 

200

  Research Spending

 

203

  Employees

 

204

 

  Risk Factors

Part I. Item 1A.

205

  Unresolved Staff Comments

Part I. Item 1B.

217

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Results of Operations

 

218

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

221

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

224

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

228

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

229

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

230

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

231

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

233

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

234

  Statements of Retained Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006,
   2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

236

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

237

Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina

 

238

    Results of Operations

 

239

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

244

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

247

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

252

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

255

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

256

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

257

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

259

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

260

  Statements of Retained Earnings, Comprehensive Income, and Paid-in Capital
   for the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

262

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

263

Entergy Louisiana, LLC

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina

 

264

    Results of Operations

 

265

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

270

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

273

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

276

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

278

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

279

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

280

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

281

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

282

  Statements of Members' Equity and Comprehensive Income for the Years
   Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

284

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

285

     

 

Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Hurricane Katrina and Storm Costs Recovery Filing

 

286

    Results of Operations

 

287

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

289

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

293

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

294

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

295

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

296

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

297

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

299

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

300

  Statements of Retained Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006,
   2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

302

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

303

Entergy New Orleans, Inc. (Debtor-in-possession)

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Hurricane Katrina

 

304

    Bankruptcy Proceedings

 

305

    Results of Operations

 

307

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

310

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

313

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

315

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

316

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

317

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and
   2004

Part II. Item 8.

318

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

319

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

320

  Statements of Retained Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006,
   2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

322

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

323

System Energy Resources, Inc.

   

  Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis

Part II. Item 7.

 

    Results of Operations

 

324

    Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

324

    Significant Factors and Known Trends

 

327

    Critical Accounting Estimates

 

328

    New Accounting Pronouncements

 

329

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

330

  Income Statements For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

331

  Statements of Cash Flows For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005,
   and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

333

  Balance Sheets, December 31, 2006 and 2005

Part II. Item 8.

334

  Statements of Retained Earnings for the Years Ended December 31, 2006,
   2005, and 2004

Part II. Item 8.

336

  Selected Financial Data - Five-Year Comparison

Part II. Item 6.

337

 

Properties

Part I. Item 2.

338

Legal Proceedings

Part I. Item 3.

338

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

Part I. Item 4.

338

Directors and Executive Officers of Entergy Corporation

Part III. Item 10.

338

Market for Registrants' Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

Part II. Item 5.

340

Selected Financial Data

Part II. Item 6.

342

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
  Operations

Part II. Item 7.

342

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Part II. Item 7A.

342

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Part II. Item 8.

342

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial
  Disclosure

Part II. Item 9.

342

Controls and Procedures

Part II. Item 9A.

343

Attestation Report of Registered Public Accounting Firm

Part II. Item 9A.

344

Other Information

Part II. Item 9B.

351

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrants

Part III. Item 10.

352

Executive Compensation

Part III. Item 11.

356

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

Part III. Item 12.

392

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence

Part III. Item 13.

395

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

Part III. Item 14.

396

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

Part IV. Item 15.

399

Signatures

 

400

Consents of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

407

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

409

Index to Financial Statement Schedules

 

S-1

Exhibit Index

 

E-1

This combined Form 10-K is separately filed by Entergy Corporation and its six "Registrant Subsidiaries": Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States, Inc., Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy New Orleans, Inc., and System Energy Resources, Inc. Information contained herein relating to any individual company is filed by such company on its own behalf. Each company makes representations only as to itself and makes no other representations whatsoever as to any other company.

The report should be read in its entirety as it pertains to each respective registrant. No one section of the report deals with all aspects of the subject matter. Separate Item 6, 7, and 8 sections are provided for each registrant, except for the Notes to the financial statements. The Notes to the financial statements for all of the registrants are combined. All Items other than 6, 7, and 8 are combined for the registrants.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

In this combined report and from time to time, Entergy Corporation, the Utility operating companies and System Energy, each makes statements as registrants concerning its expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and future events or performance. Such statements are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believes," "intends," "plans," "predicts" and "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the only means to identify these statements. Although each of these registrants believes that these forward-looking statements and the underlying assumptions are reasonable, it cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Any forward-looking statement is based on information current as of the date of this combined report and speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, these registrants undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There are factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in (a) Item 1A. Risk Factors, (b) Item 7. Management's Financial Discussion and Analysis, and (c) the following factors (in addition to others described elsewhere in this combined report and in subsequent securities filings):

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION (Concluded)

 

 

 

 

DEFINITIONS

Certain abbreviations or acronyms used in the text and notes are defined below:

Abbreviation or Acronym

Term

AEEC

Arkansas Electric Energy Consumers

AFUDC

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction

ALJ

Administrative Law Judge

ANO 1 and 2

Units 1 and 2 of Arkansas Nuclear One Steam Electric Generating Station (nuclear), owned by Entergy Arkansas

APSC

Arkansas Public Service Commission

Board

Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation

Cajun

Cajun Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.

capacity factor

Actual plant output divided by maximum potential plant output for the period

City Council or Council

Council of the City of New Orleans, Louisiana

CPI-U

Consumer Price Index - Urban

DOE

United States Department of Energy

EITF

FASB's Emerging Issues Task Force

Energy Commodity Services

Entergy's business segment that includes Entergy-Koch, LP and Entergy's non-nuclear wholesale assets business

Entergy

Entergy Corporation and its direct and indirect subsidiaries

Entergy Corporation

Entergy Corporation, a Delaware corporation

Entergy-Koch

Entergy-Koch, LP, a joint venture equally owned by subsidiaries of Entergy and Koch Industries, Inc.

Entergy Louisiana

Entergy Louisiana, LLC

EPA

United States Environmental Protection Agency

EPDC

Entergy Power Development Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entergy Corporation

ERCOT

Electric Reliability Council of Texas

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FERC

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

firm liquidated damages

Transaction that requires receipt or delivery of energy at a specified delivery point (usually at a market hub not associated with a specific asset); if a party fails to deliver or receive energy, the defaulting party must compensate the other party as specified in the contract

FSP

FASB Staff Position

Grand Gulf

Unit No. 1 of Grand Gulf Steam Electric Generating Station (nuclear), 90% owned or leased by System Energy

GWh

Gigawatt-hour(s), which equals one million kilowatt-hours

Independence

Independence Steam Electric Station (coal), owned 16% by Entergy Arkansas, 25% by Entergy Mississippi, and 7% by Entergy Power

IRS

Internal Revenue Service

ISO

Independent System Operator

kV

Kilovolt

kW

Kilowatt

kWh

Kilowatt-hour(s)

i

DEFINITIONS (Continued)

Abbreviation or Acronym

Term

   

LDEQ

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

LPSC

Louisiana Public Service Commission

Mcf

1,000 cubic feet of gas

MMBtu

One million British Thermal Units

MPSC

Mississippi Public Service Commission

MW

Megawatt(s), which equals one thousand kilowatt(s)

MWh

Megawatt-hour(s)

Nelson Unit 6

Unit No. 6 (coal) of the Nelson Steam Electric Generating Station, owned 70% by Entergy Gulf States

Net debt ratio

Gross debt less cash and cash equivalents divided by total capitalization less cash and cash equivalents

Net MW in operation

Installed capacity owned or operated

Net revenue

Operating revenue net of fuel, fuel-related, and purchased power expenses; and other regulatory credits

Non-Utility Nuclear

Entergy's business segment that owns and operates five nuclear power plants and sells electric power produced by those plants to wholesale customers

NRC

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NYPA

New York Power Authority

OASIS

Open Access Same Time Information Systems

PPA

Purchased power agreement

production cost

Cost in $/MMBtu associated with delivering gas, excluding the cost of the gas

PRP

Potentially responsible party (a person or entity that may be responsible for remediation of environmental contamination)

PUCT

Public Utility Commission of Texas

PUHCA 1935

Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended

PUHCA 2005

Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, which repealed PUHCA 1935, among other things

PURPA

Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978

Registrant Subsidiaries

Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States, Inc., Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy New Orleans, Inc., and System Energy Resources, Inc.

Ritchie Unit 2

Unit 2 of the R.E. Ritchie Steam Electric Generating Station (gas/oil)

River Bend

River Bend Steam Electric Generating Station (nuclear), owned by Entergy Gulf States

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission

SFAS

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards as promulgated by the FASB

SMEPA

South Mississippi Electric Power Agency, which owns a 10% interest in Grand Gulf

spark spread

Dollar difference between electricity prices per unit and natural gas prices after assuming a conversion ratio for the number of natural gas units necessary to generate one unit of electricity

System Agreement

Agreement, effective January 1, 1983, as modified, among the Utility operating companies relating to the sharing of generating capacity and other power resources

System Energy

System Energy Resources, Inc.

System Fuels

System Fuels, Inc.

ii

DEFINITIONS (Concluded)

Abbreviation or Acronym

Term

   

TWh

Terawatt-hour(s), which equals one billion kilowatt-hours

unit-contingent

Transaction under which power is supplied from a specific generation asset; if the specified generation asset is unavailable as a result of forced outage or unanticipated event or circumstance, the seller is not liable to the buyer for any damages resulting from the seller's failure to deliver power

unit-contingent with
availability guarantees

Transaction under which power is supplied from a specific generation asset; if the specified generation asset is unavailable as a result of forced outage or unanticipated event or circumstance, the seller is not liable to the buyer for any damages resulting from the seller's failure to deliver power unless the actual availability over a specified period of time is below an availability threshold specified in the contract

Unit Power Sales Agreement

Agreement, dated as of June 10, 1982, as amended and approved by FERC, among Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy, relating to the sale of capacity and energy from System Energy's share of Grand Gulf

UK

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Utility

Entergy's business segment that generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power, with a small amount of natural gas distribution

Utility operating companies

Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans

Waterford 3

Unit No. 3 (nuclear) of the Waterford Steam Electric Generating Station, 100% owned or leased by Entergy Louisiana

weather-adjusted usage

Electric usage excluding the effects of deviations from normal weather

White Bluff

White Bluff Steam Electric Generating Station, 57% owned by Entergy Arkansas

 

iii

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ENTERGY'S BUSINESS

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail electric distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 MW of electric generating capacity, and Entergy is the second-largest nuclear power generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.6 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy generated annual revenues of $10.9 billion in 2006 and had approximately 13,800 employees as of December 31, 2006.

Entergy operates primarily through two business segments: Utility and Non-Utility Nuclear.

  • Utility generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in a four-state service territory that includes portions of Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana, including the City of New Orleans; and operates a small natural gas distribution business.
  • Non-Utility Nuclear owns and operates five nuclear power plants located in the northeastern United States and sells the electric power produced by those plants primarily to wholesale customers. This business also provides services to other nuclear power plant owners.

In addition to its two primary, reportable, operating segments, Entergy also operates the non-nuclear wholesale assets business. The non-nuclear wholesale assets business sells to wholesale customers the electric power produced by power plants that it owns while it focuses on improving performance and exploring sales or restructuring opportunities for its power plants. Such opportunities are evaluated consistent with Entergy's market-based point-of-view.

1

OPERATING INFORMATION
For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004
             
    Utility   Non-Utility Nuclear   Entergy Consolidated (a)
    (In Thousands)
2006            
Operating revenues   $9,150,030   $1,544,873   $10,932,158 
Operating expenses   $7,852,754   $1,082,743   $9,126,798 
Other income   $155,651   $99,449   $348,587 
Interest and other charges   $428,662   $47,424   $577,805 
Income taxes   $333,105   $204,659   $443,044 
Loss from discontinued operations   $-   $-   ($496)
Net income   $691,160   $309,496   $1,132,602 
             
2005            
Operating revenues   $8,526,943   $1,421,547   $10,106,247 
Operating expenses   $7,186,035   $996,012   $8,314,258 
Other income   $111,186   $71,827   $211,451 
Interest and other charges   $386,672   $50,874   $501,031 
Income taxes   $405,662   $163,865   $559,284 
Loss from discontinued operations   $-   $-   ($44,794)
Net income   $659,760   $282,623   $898,331 
             
2004            
Operating revenues   $8,142,808   $1,341,852   $9,685,521 
Operating expenses   $6,795,146   $978,687   $8,035,349 
Other income   $108,925   $78,141   $125,999 
Interest and other charges   $406,315   $53,657   $501,301 
Income taxes   $406,864   $142,620   $365,305 
Loss from discontinued operations   $-   $-   ($41)
Net income   $643,408   $245,029   $909,524 
             
CASH FLOW INFORMATION
For the Years Ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004
             
    Utility   Non-Utility Nuclear   Entergy Consolidated (a)
    (In Thousands)
2006      
Net cash flow provided by operating activities   $2,564,009    $833,318    $3,419,415 
Net cash flow used in investing activities   ($1,564,509)   ($450,219)   ($1,899,149)
Net cash flow used in financing activities   ($736,693)   ($211,544)   ($1,083,727)
             
2005            
Net cash flow provided by operating activities   $973,692    $551,263    $1,467,808 
Net cash flow used in investing activities   ($1,709,175)   ($368,497)   ($1,992,608)
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities   $646,588    ($110,482)   $496,390 
             
2004            
Net cash flow provided by operating activities   $2,207,876    $414,518    $2,929,319 
Net cash flow used in investing activities   ($1,198,009)   ($386,023)   ($1,143,225)
Net cash flow used in financing activities   ($824,579)   ($37,894)   ($1,671,859)
             
FINANCIAL POSITION INFORMATION
As of December 31, 2006 and 2005
             
    Utility   Non-Utility Nuclear   Entergy Consolidated (a)
    (In Thousands)
2006            
Current assets   $2,400,212   $820,613   $3,325,434
Other property and investments   $1,584,160   $1,581,610   $3,347,453
Property, plant and equipment - net   $16,939,438   $2,252,415   $19,438,077
Deferred debits and other assets   $4,314,549   $715,092   $4,971,767
Current liabilities   $1,990,160   $543,384   $2,465,130
Non-current liabilities   $16,928,131   $2,115,289   $20,419,714
Shareholders' equity   $6,320,068   $2,711,056   $8,197,887
             
2005            
Current assets   $3,188,548   $699,299   $4,062,682
Other property and investments   $1,433,300   $1,473,450   $3,213,917
Property, plant and equipment - net   $16,899,266   $2,001,727   $19,197,045
Deferred debits and other assets   $3,727,706   $713,096   $4,384,013
Current liabilities   $2,326,053   $517,847   $3,112,366
Non-current liabilities   $16,254,896   $2,254,827   $19,997,020
Shareholders' equity   $6,667,871   $2,114,898   $7,748,271
             
(a) In addition to the two operating segments presented here, Entergy Consolidated also includes Entergy Corporation (parent company), other business activity, and intercompany eliminations, including the Energy Commodity Services business, the Competitive Retail Services business, and earnings on the proceeds of sales of previously-owned businesses. The Energy Commodity Services business was presented as a reportable segment prior to 2005, but it has not met the quantitative thresholds for a reportable segment since 2003, and with the sale of Entergy-Koch's businesses in 2004, management does not expect the Energy Commodity Services business to meet the quantitative thresholds in the foreseeable future. The 2004 information in the tables above has been restated to include the Energy Commodity Services business in the Entergy Consolidated column. As a result of the Entergy New Orleans bankruptcy filing, Entergy has discontinued the consolidation of Entergy New Orleans retroactive to January 1, 2005, and is reporting Entergy New Orleans results under the equity method of accounting.
             

2

The following shows the principal subsidiaries and affiliates within Entergy's business segments. Companies that file reports and other information with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are identified in bold-faced type.

       


Entergy Corporation

   
                   
                   
                   
                 

Utility

 

Non-Utility Nuclear

 

Other Businesses

                     
 

Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

     

Energy Commodity Services

 
 

Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Finance, Inc.

           
 

Entergy Louisiana Holdings, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Generation Co. (Pilgrim)

   

Entergy-Koch, LP

     

Non-Nuclear Wholesale Assets

 

Entergy Louisiana, LLC

   

Entergy Nuclear FitzPatrick LLC

   

(50% ownership)

       
 

Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC

           

Entergy Power Development Corp.

 

Entergy New Orleans, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC

           

Entergy Asset Management, Inc.

 

System Energy Resources, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC

         

Entergy Power, Inc.

 

Entergy Operations, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear, Inc.

           
 

Entergy Services, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Fuels Company

         
 

System Fuels, Inc.

   

Entergy Nuclear Nebraska LLC

             
       

Entergy Nuclear Power Marketing LLC

       

Strategy

Entergy aspires continually to achieve industry-leading total shareholder returns in an environmentally responsible fashion by leveraging the scale and expertise inherent in its core nuclear and utility operations.  Entergy's scope includes electricity generation, transmission and distribution as well as natural gas transportation and distribution.  Entergy focuses on operational excellence with an emphasis on safety, reliability, customer service, sustainability, cost efficiency, and risk management.  Entergy also focuses on portfolio management to make periodic buy, build, hold, or sell decisions based upon its analytically-derived points of view which are continuously updated as market conditions evolve.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Availability of SEC filings and other information on Entergy's website

Entergy's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments are available without charge on its website, http://www.shareholder.com/entergy/edgar.cfm, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed electronically with the SEC. Entergy is providing the address to its Internet site solely for the information of investors. Entergy does not intend the address to be an active link or to otherwise incorporate the contents of the website into this report.

Part I, Item 1 is continued on page 165.

3

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

REPORT OF MANAGEMENT

Management of Entergy Corporation and its subsidiaries has prepared and is responsible for the financial statements and related financial information included in this document. To meet this responsibility, management establishes and maintains a system of internal controls designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This system includes communication through written policies and procedures, an employee Code of Entegrity, and an organizational structure that provides for appropriate division of responsibility and training of personnel. This system is also tested by a comprehensive internal audit program.

Entergy management assesses the effectiveness of Entergy's internal control over financial reporting on an annual basis. In making this assessment, management uses the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework. Management acknowledges, however, that all internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations and can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.

Entergy Corporation and its subsidiaries' independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, has issued an attestation report on Entergy management's assessment of the effectiveness of Entergy's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, which is included herein on pages 344 through 350.

In addition, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, composed solely of independent Directors, meets with the independent auditors, internal auditors, management, and internal accountants periodically to discuss internal controls, and auditing and financial reporting matters. The Audit Committee appoints the independent auditors annually, seeks shareholder ratification of the appointment, and reviews with the independent auditors the scope and results of the audit effort. The Audit Committee also meets periodically with the independent auditors and the chief internal auditor without management present, providing free access to the Audit Committee.

Based on management's assessment of internal controls using the COSO criteria, management believes that Entergy maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006. Management further believes that this assessment, combined with the policies and procedures noted above, provides reasonable assurance that Entergy's financial statements are fairly and accurately presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

J. WAYNE LEONARD
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Corporation

LEO P. DENAULT
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Entergy Corporation

HUGH T. MCDONALD
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

JOSEPH F. DOMINO
Chairman of Entergy Gulf States, Inc., President and Chief Executive Officer - Texas of Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

E. RENAE CONLEY
Chair of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Louisiana, LLC; President and Chief Executive Officer- Louisiana of Entergy Gulf States, Inc.

CAROLYN C. SHANKS
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy Mississippi, Inc.

RODERICK K. WEST
President and Chief Executive Officer of Entergy New Orleans, Inc.

GARY J. TAYLOR
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of System Energy Resources, Inc.

THEODORE H. BUNTING, JR.
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of System Energy Resources, Inc.

JAY A. LEWIS
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States, Inc., Entergy Louisiana, LLC, Entergy Mississippi, Inc., and Entergy New Orleans, Inc.

4

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

MANAGEMENT'S FINANCIAL DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Entergy operates primarily through two business segments: Utility and Non-Utility Nuclear.

In addition to its two primary, reportable, operating segments, Entergy also operates the non-nuclear wholesale assets business. The non-nuclear wholesale assets business sells to wholesale customers the electric power produced by power plants that it owns while it focuses on improving performance and exploring sales or restructuring opportunities for its power plants. Such opportunities are evaluated consistent with Entergy's market-based point-of-view.

Following are the percentages of Entergy's consolidated revenues and net income generated by its operating segments and the percentage of total assets held by them:

   

% of Revenue

 

% of Net Income

 

% of Total Assets

Segment

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

                                     

Utility

 

84

 

84

 

84

 

61

 

73 

 

71 

 

81

 

82 

 

81 

Non-Utility Nuclear

 

14

 

14

 

14

 

27

 

31 

 

27 

 

17

 

16 

 

16 

Parent Company &
  Other Business Segments

 


2

 


2

 


2

 


12

 


(4)

 


 


2

 


 


Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused catastrophic damage to large portions of the Utility's service territory in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the effect of extensive flooding that resulted from levee breaks in and around the greater New Orleans area. The storms and flooding resulted in widespread power outages, significant damage to electric distribution, transmission, and generation and gas infrastructure, and the loss of sales and customers due to mandatory evacuations and the destruction of homes and businesses. Total restoration costs through December 31, 2006 for the repair or replacement of the Utility's electric and gas facilities damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and for business continuity are $1.48 billion (including $38 million of AFUDC). The costs include $828 million in construction expenditures and $654 million recorded originally as regulatory assets. Entergy recorded regulatory assets in accordance with its accounting policies because management believes that recovery of these prudently incurred costs through some form of regulatory mechanism is probable, based on historic treatment of such costs in the Utility's service territories and communications with local regulators. These costs do not include other potential incremental losses, such as the inability to recover fixed costs scheduled for recovery through base rates, which base rate revenue was not received due to a loss of anticipated sales. For instance, at Entergy New Orleans, the Utility operating company that continues to experience a reduction in the level of cost recovery due to lost customers caused by Hurricane Katrina, Entergy estimates that lost net revenue due to Hurricane Katrina will total approximately $194 million through 2007. In addition, Entergy estimates that the hurricanes caused $38 million of uncollectible Utility customer receivables. Entergy estimates that its additional storm restoration spending, excluding Entergy New Orleans, will be approximately $60 million.

5

Entergy New Orleans has spent approximately $188 million on storm restoration through December 31, 2006, and estimates that it will ultimately spend approximately $275 million. Entergy New Orleans also incurred $22 million of uncollectible accounts receivable because of Hurricane Katrina. The storm restoration cost estimate includes approximately $80 million in spending for accelerated rebuilding of the gas system in New Orleans that Entergy New Orleans expects will be necessary due to massive salt water intrusion into the system caused by the flooding in New Orleans. The salt water intrusion is expected to shorten the life of the gas system, making it necessary to rebuild that system over time, earlier than otherwise would be expected. The storm restoration cost estimate given above does not include the longer-term spending expected for the gas rebuild project. Entergy New Orleans currently estimates the additional longer-term costs to rebuild the gas system to be $385 million, with the project extending for many years into the future.

Entergy is pursuing a broad range of initiatives to recover storm restoration and business continuity costs. Initiatives include obtaining reimbursement of certain costs covered by insurance, obtaining assistance through federal legislation for damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and, as noted above, pursuing recovery through existing or new rate mechanisms regulated by the FERC and local regulatory bodies, in combination with securitization. Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans have filed with their respective retail regulators for recovery of storm restoration costs. The proceedings are discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements.

See Note 8 to the financial statements for a discussion of Entergy's non-nuclear property insurance program. Entergy is currently evaluating the amount of the covered losses for each of the affected Utility operating companies, working with insurance adjusters, and preparing proofs of loss for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There is an aggregation limit of $1 billion for all parties insured by OIL, Entergy's primary insurer, for any one occurrence, and Entergy has been notified by OIL that it expects claims for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to materially exceed this limit. The Utility operating companies have received $51.5 million through December 31, 2006 on their insurance claims. Entergy currently estimates that its remaining net insurance recoveries for the losses caused by the hurricanes, including the effect of the OIL aggregation limit being exceeded, will be approximately $350 million. Entergy currently expects to receive payment for the majority of its estimated insurance recoveries related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through 2009.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

In December 2005, the U.S. Congress passed the Katrina Relief Bill, a hurricane aid package that includes $11.5 billion in Community Development Block Grants (for the states affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma) that allows state and local leaders to fund individual recovery priorities. The bill includes language that permits funding to be provided for infrastructure restoration.

Entergy Mississippi filed a request with the Mississippi Development Authority for CDBG funding for reimbursement of its Hurricane Katrina infrastructure restoration costs and received $81 million in October 2006.

Entergy New Orleans, Entergy Louisiana, and Entergy Gulf States-Louisiana provided justification statements to state and local officials in March 2006 and presented revised justification statements to the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) in September 2006. The statements include the estimated costs of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damage, as well as for Entergy New Orleans a lost customer base component intended to help offset the need for storm-related rate increases. The statements include justification for CDBG funding of $592 million for Entergy New Orleans, $539 million for Entergy Louisiana, and $183 million for Entergy Gulf States-Louisiana.

In October 2006, the LRA Board endorsed a resolution proposing to allocate $200 million in CDBG funds to Entergy New Orleans to defray gas and electric utility system repair costs in an effort to provide rate relief for Entergy New Orleans customers. The proposal was developed as an action plan amendment and published for public comment. State lawmakers approved the action plan in December 2006, and the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved it in February 2007. In addition, the City Council must review and certify the amount of Entergy New Orleans' eligible storm costs before an application can be filed with the LRA and CDBG funding can be released to Entergy New Orleans. Entergy

 

6

 

 

New Orleans filed applications seeking City Council certification of $210 million in storm-related costs incurred through December 2006. Entergy New Orleans has supplemented this request to include the estimated future cost of the gas system rebuild. In January 2007, the City Council passed a resolution in which it stated its intent to render a decision in the certification proceeding by March 2007.

Entergy New Orleans Bankruptcy

Because of the effects of Hurricane Katrina, on September 23, 2005, Entergy New Orleans filed a voluntary petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana seeking reorganization relief under the provisions of Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Case No. 05-17697). Entergy Corporation owns 100 percent of the common stock of Entergy New Orleans, has continued to supply general and administrative services through Entergy Services, and has provided debtor-in-possession financing to Entergy New Orleans. Uncertainties surrounding the nature, timing, and specifics of the bankruptcy proceedings, however, caused Entergy to deconsolidate Entergy New Orleans and reflect Entergy New Orleans' financial results under the equity method of accounting retroactive to January 1, 2005. Because Entergy owns all of the common stock of Entergy New Orleans, this change did not affect the amount of net income Entergy records from Entergy New Orleans' operations for any current or prior period, but did result in Entergy New Orleans' net income for 2005 and 2006 being presented as "Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates" rather than its results being included in each individual income statement line item, as is the case for periods prior to 2005. Entergy has reviewed the carrying value of its equity investment in Entergy New Orleans to determine if an impairment has occurred as a result of the storm, the flood, the power outages, restoration costs, and changes in customer load. Entergy determined that no impairment has occurred because management believes that cost recovery is probable. Entergy will continue to assess the carrying value of its investment in Entergy New Orleans as developments occur in Entergy New Orleans' recovery efforts.

On February 5, 2007, Entergy New Orleans filed an amended plan of reorganization and a disclosure statement with the bankruptcy court. The bankruptcy court entered an order on February 13, 2007 that approves the adequacy of Entergy New Orleans' disclosure statement. The Unsecured Creditors' Committee also filed a plan of reorganization on February 5, 2007. The Unsecured Creditors' Committee's plan is similar in some respects to Entergy New Orleans' plan, but contains several differences. The significant differences are noted below. A hearing regarding confirmation for both plans of reorganization is scheduled for May 3 and 4, 2007.

Entergy New Orleans' plan of reorganization reflects its continuing effort to work with federal, state, and local authorities to resolve the bankruptcy in a manner that allows Entergy New Orleans' customers to be served by a financially viable entity as required by law. The plan of reorganization provides full compensation to Entergy New Orleans' creditors whose claims are allowed by the bankruptcy court. Conditions precedent proposed in Entergy New Orleans' plan of reorganization before it can become effective include:

In addition, key factors that will continue to influence the timing and outcome of Entergy New Orleans' recovery efforts include the level of economic recovery of New Orleans and the number of customers that return to New Orleans, including the timing of their return. Entergy New Orleans currently estimates that approximately 95,000 electric customers and 65,000 gas customers have returned and are taking service. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Entergy New Orleans had approximately 190,000 electric customers and 144,000 gas customers.

The Unsecured Creditors' Committee's plan does not contain the conditions precedent regarding receipt by Entergy New Orleans of insurance proceeds and CDBG funds. Instead, the Unsecured Creditors' Committee's plan proposes exit financing of up to $150 million, with a maturity of up

 

7

 

 

 to 5 years, and with an estimated interest rate of 10.5%, increasing by 1% per year. Obtaining this exit financing is a condition precedent to the Unsecured Creditors' Committee's plan.

The bankruptcy judge set a date of April 19, 2006 by which creditors with prepetition claims against Entergy New Orleans, with certain exceptions, had to file their proofs of claim in the bankruptcy case. Approximately 560 claims, including amending claims, have been filed thus far in Entergy New Orleans' bankruptcy proceeding. Entergy New Orleans is currently analyzing the accuracy and validity of the claims filed, and is seeking withdrawal or modification of claims or objecting to claims with which it disagrees. Several of the filed claims have been withdrawn or disallowed by the bankruptcy court. Entergy New Orleans currently estimates that the prepetition claims that will be allowed in the bankruptcy case will approximate the prepetition liabilities currently recorded by Entergy New Orleans.

Entergy New Orleans' plan of reorganization proposes to pay the third-party prepetition accounts payable in full in cash and to issue three-year notes in satisfaction of the affiliate prepetition accounts payable, and proposes that its first mortgage bonds will remain outstanding with their current maturity dates and interest terms. The plan of reorganization proposes that Entergy New Orleans' preferred stock will also remain outstanding on its current dividend terms, with payment of unpaid preferred dividends in arrears. The Unsecured Creditors' Committee's plan is similar, but would pay the affiliate prepetition accounts payable in cash.

Entergy New Orleans' plan of reorganization proposes to pay interest from September 23, 2005 on the third-party and affiliate accounts payable at the Louisiana judicial rate of interest in 2005 (6%) and 2006 (8%), and at the Louisiana judicial rate of interest plus 1% thereafter. The Louisiana judicial rate of interest is 9.5% for 2007. Pursuant to an agreement with the first mortgage bondholders, Entergy New Orleans' plan of reorganization also proposes to pay the first mortgage bondholders an amount equal to the one year of interest from the bankruptcy petition date that the bondholders had waived previously in the bankruptcy proceeding. As approved by the bankruptcy court, Entergy New Orleans has begun paying interest accruing after September 23, 2006 on its first mortgage bonds. In the fourth quarter 2006 Entergy New Orleans accrued for the interest from September 23, 2005 through December 2006 and for the proposed payment to the bondholders in the amount of the one year of waived interest.

Municipalization is one potential outcome of Entergy New Orleans' recovery effort that may be pursued by a stakeholder or stakeholders, even after Entergy New Orleans exits from bankruptcy. In June 2006, the Louisiana Legislature passed a law that establishes a governance structure for a public power authority, if municipalization of Entergy New Orleans' utility business is pursued. Entergy New Orleans' October 2006 settlement approved by the City Council allowing phased-in rate increases through 2008, discussed in "Significant Factors and Known Trends", provides that Entergy New Orleans will work with the City Council to seek an exception to the Stafford Act that will afford Stafford Act protections to Entergy New Orleans if another catastrophic event affects Entergy New Orleans. The Stafford Act provides for restoration funding from the federal government for municipal and cooperative utilities, but does not allow such funding for investor-owned utilities like Entergy New Orleans.

8

Results of Operations

2006 Compared to 2005

Following are income statement variances for Utility, Non-Utility Nuclear, Parent & Other business segments, and Entergy comparing 2006 to 2005 showing how much the line item increased or (decreased) in comparison to the prior period:

 


Utility

 

Non-Utility
Nuclear

 

Parent & Other


Entergy

(In Thousands)

2005 Consolidated Net Income (Loss)

 

$659,760  

 

$282,623  

 

($44,052)

$898,331  

Net revenue (operating revenue less fuel expense,
purchased power, and other regulatory charges
(credits) - net)

 



195,681  



114,028  



3,952  



313,661  

Other operation and maintenance expenses

 

177,725  

49,264  

(13,831)

213,158  

Taxes other than income taxes

 

38,662  

8,489  

(1,111)

46,040  

Depreciation

 

19,780  

13,215  

(1,580)

31,415  

Other income

 

44,465  

27,622  

65,049  

137,136  

Interest charges

 

41,990  

(3,450)

38,234  

76,774  

Other expenses

 

3,146  

6,465  

66  

9,677  

Discontinued operations (net-of-tax)

 

-  

 -  

44,298  

44,298  

Income taxes

 

(72,557)

40,794  

(84,477)

(116,240)

2006 Consolidated Net Income

 

$691,160  

 

$309,496  

 

$131,946  

$1,132,602 

Refer to "SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA - FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON OF ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES" which accompanies Entergy Corporation's financial statements in this report for further information with respect to operating statistics.

Net Revenue

Utility

Following is an analysis of the change in net revenue, which is Entergy's measure of gross margin, comparing 2006 to 2005.

  

 

Amount

  

 

(In Millions)

 

 

 

2005 net revenue

 

$4,075.4 

Base revenues/Attala costs

 

143.2 

Fuel recovery

 

39.6 

Pass-through rider revenue

 

35.5 

Transmission revenue

 

20.8 

Storm cost recovery

 

 12.3 

Volume/weather

 

10.6 

Price applied to unbilled electric sales

 

 (43.7)

Purchased power capacity

 

(34.5)

Other

 

 11.9 

2006 net revenue

 

$4,271.1 

9

The base revenues variance resulted primarily from increases effective October 2005 in the Louisiana jurisdiction of Entergy Gulf States for the 2004 formula rate plan filing and the annual revenue requirement related to the purchase of power from the Perryville generating station, and increases in the Texas jurisdiction of Entergy Gulf States related to an incremental purchased capacity recovery rider that began in December 2005 and a transition to competition rider that began in March 2006. The Attala costs variance is due to the recovery of Attala power plant costs at Entergy Mississippi through the power management rider. The net income effect of the Attala cost recovery is partially offset by Attala costs in other operation and maintenance expenses, depreciation expense, and taxes other than income taxes.

The fuel recovery variance resulted primarily from adjustments of fuel clause recoveries at Entergy Gulf States - Louisiana and increased recovery in 2006 of fuel costs from retail and special rate customers.

The pass-through rider revenue variance is due to a change in 2006 in the accounting for city franchise tax revenues in Arkansas as directed by the APSC. The change results in an increase in rider revenue with a corresponding increase in taxes other than income taxes, resulting in no effect on net income.

The transmission revenue variance is primarily due to new transmission customers in 2006. Also contributing to the increase was an increase in rates effective June 2006.

The storm cost recovery variance is due to the return earned on the interim recovery of storm-related costs at Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States - Louisiana in 2006 as allowed by the LPSC. The storm cost recovery filings are discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements.

The volume/weather variance resulted from an increase of 1.7% in electricity usage primarily in the industrial sector. The increase was partially offset by the effect of less favorable weather on billed sales in the residential sector, compared to the same period in 2005, and a decrease in usage during the unbilled period.

The price applied to unbilled sales variance is due to the exclusion in 2006 of the fuel cost component in the calculation of the price applied to unbilled sales. Effective January 1, 2006, the fuel cost component is no longer included in the unbilled revenue calculation at Entergy Louisiana and the Louisiana jurisdiction of Entergy Gulf States, which is in accordance with regulatory treatment. See "MANAGEMENT'S FINANCIAL DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS - Critical Accounting Estimates" herein.

The purchased power capacity variance is primarily due to higher capacity charges and new purchased power contracts in 2006. A portion of the variance is due to the amortization of deferred capacity costs and is offset in base revenues due to base rate increases implemented to recover incremental deferred and ongoing purchased power capacity charges, as discussed above.

Non-Utility Nuclear

Net revenue increased for Non-Utility Nuclear primarily due to higher pricing in its contracts to sell power. Also contributing to the increase in revenues was increased generation in 2006 due to power uprates completed in 2005 and 2006 at certain plants and fewer refueling outages in 2006. Following are key performance measures for Non-Utility Nuclear for 2006 and 2005:

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

Net MW in operation at December 31

 

4,200

 

4,105

Average realized price per MWh

 

$44.59

 

$42.39

Generation in GWh for the period

 

34,655

 

33,539

Capacity factor for the period

 

95%

 

93%

10

Other Operation and Maintenance Expenses

Other operation and maintenance expenses increased for the Utility from $1.471 billion in 2005 to $1.649 billion in 2006 primarily due to the following:

  • an increase of $52 million in payroll and benefits costs;
  • an increase of $20 million in nuclear costs as a result of higher NRC fees, security costs, labor-related costs, and a non-refueling plant outage at Entergy Gulf States in February 2006;
  • an increase of $16 million in customer service support costs due to an increase in contract costs and an increase in customer write-offs;
  • the receipt in 2005 of proceeds of $16 million from a settlement, which is discussed further in "Significant Factors and Known Trends - Central States Compact Claim;"
  • an increase of $16 million in fossil operating costs due to the purchase of the Attala plant in January 2006 and the Perryville plant coming online in July 2005;
  • an increase of $12 million related to storm reserves. This increase does not include costs associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and
  • an increase of $12 million due to a return to normal expense patterns in 2006 versus the deferral or capitalization of storm costs in 2005.

Other operation and maintenance expenses increased for Non-Utility Nuclear from $588 million in 2005 to $637 million in 2006 primarily due to the timing of refueling outages, increased benefit and insurance costs, and increased NRC fees.

Taxes Other Than Income Taxes

Taxes other than income taxes increased for the Utility from $322 million in 2005 to $361 million in 2006 primarily due to an increase in city franchise taxes in Arkansas due to a change in 2006 in the accounting for city franchise tax revenues as directed by the APSC. The change results in an increase in taxes other than income taxes with a corresponding increase in rider revenue, resulting in no effect on net income. Also contributing to the increase was higher franchise tax expense at Entergy Gulf States as a result of higher gross revenues in 2006 and a customer refund in 2005.

Other Income

Other income increased for the Utility from $111 million in 2005 to $156 million in 2006 primarily due to carrying charges recorded on storm restoration costs.

Other income increased for Non-Utility Nuclear primarily due to miscellaneous income of $27 million ($16.6 million net-of-tax) resulting from a reduction in the decommissioning liability for a plant as a result of a revised decommissioning cost study and changes in assumptions regarding the timing of when decommissioning of a plant will begin.

Other income increased for Parent & Other primarily due to a gain related to its Entergy-Koch investment of approximately $55 million (net-of-tax) in the fourth quarter of 2006. In 2004, Entergy-Koch sold its energy trading and pipeline businesses to third parties. At that time, Entergy received $862 million of the sales proceeds in the form of a cash distribution by Entergy-Koch. Due to the November 2006 expiration of contingencies on the sale of Entergy-Koch's trading business, and the corresponding release to Entergy-Koch of sales proceeds held in escrow, Entergy received additional cash distributions of approximately $163 million during the fourth quarter of 2006 and recorded a gain of approximately $55 million (net-of-tax). Entergy expects future cash distributions upon liquidation of the partnership will be less than $35 million.

11

Interest Charges

Interest charges increased for the Utility and Parent & Other primarily due to additional borrowing to fund the significant storm restoration costs associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Discontinued Operations

In April 2006, Entergy sold the retail electric portion of the Competitive Retail Services business operating in the ERCOT region of Texas, and now reports this portion of the business as a discontinued operation. Earnings for 2005 were negatively affected by $44.8 million (net-of-tax) of discontinued operations due to the planned sale. This amount includes a net charge of $25.8 million (net-of-tax) related to the impairment reserve for the remaining net book value of the Competitive Retail Services business' information technology systems. Results for 2006 include an $11.1 million gain (net-of-tax) on the sale of the retail electric portion of the Competitive Retail Services business operating in the ERCOT region of Texas.

Income Taxes

The effective income tax rates for 2006 and 2005 were 28.1% and 37.3%, respectively. The lower effective income tax rate in 2006 is primarily due to tax benefits, net of reserves, resulting from the tax capital loss recognized in connection with the liquidation of Entergy Power International Holdings, Entergy's holding company for Entergy-Koch, LP. Also contributing to the lower rate for 2006 is an IRS audit settlement that allowed Entergy to release from its tax reserves all settled issues from 1996-1998. See Note 3 to the financial statements for a reconciliation of the federal statutory rate of 35.0% to the effective income tax rates, and for additional discussion regarding income taxes.

2005 Compared to 2004

Following are income statement variances for Utility, Non-Utility Nuclear, Parent & Other business segments, and Entergy comparing 2005 to 2004 showing how much the line item increased or (decreased) in comparison to the prior period:

 


Utility

 

Non-Utility
Nuclear

 

Parent & Other


Entergy

(In Thousands)

2004 Consolidated Net Income

 

$643,408 

 

$245,029 

 

$21,087

$909,524 

Net revenue (operating revenue less fuel expense,
purchased power, and other regulatory charges
(credits) - net)

 



(168,559)



57,496 



(16,384)



(127,447)

Other operation and maintenance expenses

 

(98,636)

(7,839)

(39,651)

(146,126)

Taxes other than income taxes

 

(22,400)

2,182 

(896)

(21,114)

Depreciation

 

(39,883)

9,680 

(6,994)

(37,197)

Other income

 

2,261 

(6,314)

89,505 

85,452 

Interest charges

 

(19,643)

(2,783)

22,156 

(270)

Other expenses

 

(886)

(8,897)

(44)

(9,827)

Provision for asset impairments

 

(55,000)

(55,000)

Discontinued operations (net-of-tax)

 

(44,753)

(44,753)

Income taxes

 

(1,202)

21,245 

173,936 

193,979 

2005 Consolidated Net Income (Loss)

 

$659,760 

 

$282,623 

 

($44,052)

$898,331 

12

The uncertainties inherent in Entergy New Orleans' bankruptcy proceedings caused Entergy to deconsolidate Entergy New Orleans and reflect Entergy New Orleans' financial results under the equity method of accounting retroactive to January 1, 2005. Because Entergy owns all of the common stock of Entergy New Orleans, this change did not affect the amount of net income Entergy records resulting from Entergy New Orleans' operations for any current or prior period, but did result in Entergy New Orleans' net income for 2005 and 2006 being presented as "Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates" rather than its results being included in each individual income statement line item, as is the case for 2004. Transactions in 2005 and 2006 between Entergy New Orleans and other Entergy subsidiaries are not eliminated in consolidation as they are in 2004. The variance explanations for 2005 compared to 2004 below reflect the 2004 results of operations of Entergy New Orleans as if it were deconsolidated in 2004, consistent with the 2005 presentation as "Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates." Entergy's as reported consolidated results for 2004 and the amounts included in those consolidated results for Entergy New Orleans, which exclude inter-company items, are set forth in the table below.

   

For the Year Ended
December 31, 2004

  

 

Entergy
Corporation
and
Subsidiaries
(as reported)

 


Amounts required
to deconsolidate
Entergy New
Orleans in 2004 *

 

 

(In Thousands)

         

Operating Revenues

 

$9,685,521 

 

($435,194)

Operating Expenses:

       

   Fuel, fuel-related expenses, and gas purchased for
    resale and purchased power

 


4,189,818 

 


(206,240)

   Other operation and maintenance

 

2,268,332 

 

(102,451)

   Taxes other than income taxes

 

403,635 

 

(43,577)

   Depreciation and amortization

 

893,574 

 

(29,657)

   Other regulatory credits - net

 

(90,611)

 

4,670 

   Other operating expenses

 

370,601 

 

-  

Total Operating Expenses

 

$8,035,349 

 

($377,255)

Other Income

 

$125,999 

 

($2,044)

Interest and Other Charges

 

$501,301 

 

($16,008)

Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

 

$1,274,870 

 

($18,798)

Income Taxes

 

$365,305 

 

($16,868)

Consolidated Net Income

 

$909,524 

 

$- 

*

Reflects the entry necessary to deconsolidate Entergy New Orleans for 2004. The column includes intercompany eliminations.

13

Net Revenue

Utility

Following is an analysis of the change in net revenue, which is Entergy's measure of gross margin, comparing 2005 to 2004.

   

Amount

   

(In Millions)

     

2004 net revenue (does not include $233.6 from Entergy New Orleans)

 

$4,010.3 

Price applied to unbilled sales

 

40.8 

Rate refund provisions

 

36.4 

Volume/weather

 

3.6 

2004 deferrals

 

(15.2)

Other

 

(0.5)

2005 net revenue

 

$4,075.4 

The price applied to unbilled sales variance resulted primarily from an increase in the fuel cost component included in the price applied to unbilled sales. The increase in the fuel cost component is attributable to an increase in the market prices of natural gas and purchased power. See "Critical Accounting Estimates - Unbilled Revenue" and Note 1 to the financial statements for further discussion of the accounting for unbilled revenues.

The rate refund provisions variance is due primarily to accruals recorded in 2004 for potential rate action at Entergy Gulf States and Entergy Louisiana.

The volume/weather variance includes the effect of more favorable weather in 2005 compared to 2004 substantially offset by a decrease in weather-adjusted usage due to the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and a decrease in usage during the unbilled sales period.

The 2004 deferrals variance is due to the deferrals related to Entergy's voluntary severance program, in accordance with a stipulation with the LPSC staff. The deferrals are being amortized over a four-year period effective January 2004.

Non-Utility Nuclear

Net revenue increased for Non-Utility Nuclear primarily due to higher pricing in its contracts to sell power. Also contributing to the increase in revenues was increased generation in 2005 due to power uprates at several plants completed in 2004 and 2005 and fewer planned and unplanned outages in 2005. Following are key performance measures for Non-Utility Nuclear for 2005 and 2004:

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

 

 

Net MW in operation at December 31

4,105

 

4,058

Average realized price per MWh

$42.39

 

$41.26

Generation in GWh for the year

33,539

 

32,524

Capacity factor for the year

93%

 

92%

14

Other Operation and Maintenance Expenses

Other operation and maintenance expenses increased slightly for the Utility from $1.467 billion in 2004 to $1.471 billion in 2005. The variance includes the following:

Taxes Other Than Income Taxes

Taxes other than income taxes increased for the Utility from $300.7 million in 2004 to $321.9 million in 2005 primarily due to higher employment taxes and higher assessed values for ad valorem tax purposes in 2005.

Other Income

Other income decreased for the Utility from $134 million in 2004 to $111.2 million in 2005 primarily due to:

The decrease for the Utility was partially offset by an increase of $35.3 million in interest and dividend income due to both the proceeds from the radwaste settlement, which is discussed further in "Significant Factors and Known Trends - Central States Compact Claim," and increased interest on temporary cash investments.

Other income decreased slightly for Non-Utility Nuclear from $78 million in 2004 to $72 million in 2005. 2005 includes $15.8 million net-of-tax resulting from a reduction in the decommissioning liability for a plant, and 2004 includes $11.9 million net-of-tax resulting from a reduction in the decommissioning liability for a plant. Both of these reductions are discussed in Note 9 to the financial statements.

Other income increased for Parent & Other primarily because of a $46.4 million loss in 2004 from Entergy's investment in Entergy-Koch, primarily resulting from Entergy-Koch's trading business reporting a loss from its operations in 2004. Miscellaneous income from proceeds of $18.9 million from the sale of SO2 allowances by the non-nuclear wholesale assets business also contributed to the increase.

15

Provision for Asset Impairments and Discontinued Operations

Entergy recorded a $55 million ($36 million net-of-tax) charge in 2004 as a result of an impairment of the value of the Warren Power plant, which is owned in the non-nuclear wholesale assets business. Entergy concluded that the plant's value was impaired based on valuation studies prepared in connection with the Entergy Asset Management stock sale discussed below.

Earnings for Parent & Other in 2005 were negatively affected by $44.8 million (net-of-tax) of discontinued operations due to the planned sale of the retail electric portion of Entergy's Competitive Retail Services business operating in the ERCOT region of Texas. This amount includes a net charge of $25.8 million, net-of-tax, related to the impairment reserve for the remaining net book value of the Competitive Retail Services business' information technology systems.

Income Taxes

The effective income tax rates for 2005 and 2004 were 37.3% and 28.7%, respectively. The lower effective income tax rate in 2004 is primarily due to a tax benefit resulting from the sale in December 2004 of preferred stock and less than 1% of the common stock of Entergy Asset Management, an Entergy subsidiary. An Entergy subsidiary sold the stock to a third party for $29.75 million. The sale resulted in a capital loss for tax purposes of $370 million, producing a net tax benefit of $97 million that Entergy recorded in the fourth quarter of 2004. See Note 3 to the financial statements for a reconciliation of the federal statutory rate of 35.0% to the effective income tax rates, and for additional discussion regarding income taxes.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

This section discusses Entergy's capital structure, capital spending plans and other uses of capital, sources of capital, and the cash flow activity presented in the cash flow statement.

Capital Structure

Entergy's capitalization is balanced between equity and debt, as shown in the following table. The decrease in the debt to capital percentage from 2005 to 2006 is the result of an increase in shareholders' equity, primarily due to an increase in retained earnings, partially offset by repurchases of common stock. The increase in the debt to capital percentage from 2004 to 2005 is the result of increased debt outstanding due to additional borrowings on Entergy Corporation's revolving credit facility, additional debt issuances, including Entergy Corporation's equity units issuance, along with a decrease in shareholders' equity, primarily due to repurchases of common stock.

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net debt to net capital at the end of the year

 

49.4%

 

51.5%

 

45.3%

Effect of subtracting cash from debt

 

2.9%

 

1.6%

 

2.1%

Debt to capital at the end of the year

 

52.3%

 

53.1%

 

47.4%

Net debt consists of debt less cash and cash equivalents. Debt consists of notes payable, capital lease obligations, preferred stock with sinking fund, and long-term debt, including the currently maturing portion. Capital consists of debt, shareholders' equity, and preferred stock without sinking fund. Net capital consists of capital less cash and cash equivalents. Entergy uses the net debt to net capital ratio in analyzing its financial condition and believes it provides useful information to its investors and creditors in evaluating Entergy's financial condition.

16

Long-term debt, including the currently maturing portion, makes up substantially all of Entergy's total debt outstanding. Following are Entergy's long-term debt principal maturities and estimated interest payments as of December 31, 2006. To estimate future interest payments for variable rate debt, Entergy used the rate as of December 31, 2006. The figures below include payments on the Entergy Louisiana and System Energy sale-leaseback transactions, which are included in long-term debt on the balance sheet.

Long-term debt maturities and estimated interest payments

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010-2011

 

after 2011

(In Millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

$453

 

$1,154

 

$582

 

$1,389

 

$7,219

Non-Utility Nuclear

 

100

 

36

 

36

 

71

 

192

Parent Company and Other
  Business Segments

 


144

 


410

 


396

 


1,765

 


-

Total

 

$697

 

$1,600

 

$1,014

 

$3,225

 

$7,411

Note 5 to the financial statements provides more detail concerning long-term debt.

In May 2005, Entergy Corporation entered into a $2 billion five-year revolving credit facility, which expires in May 2010. In December 2005, Entergy Corporation entered into a $1.5 billion three-year revolving credit facility, which expires in December 2008. Entergy Corporation also has the ability to issue letters of credit against the total borrowing capacity of both the three-year and the five-year credit facilities.

Following is a summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under these facilities as of December 31, 2006.


Facility

 


Capacity

 


Borrowings

 

Letters
of Credit

 

Capacity
Available

   

(In Millions)

                 

5-Year Facility

 

$2,000 

 

$820 

 

$94  

 

$1,086

3-Year Facility

 

$1,500 

 

$- 

 

$-  

 

$1,500

Entergy Corporation's credit facilities require it to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization. If Entergy fails to meet this debt ratio, or if Entergy or one of the Utility operating companies (other than Entergy New Orleans) default on other indebtedness or are in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, an acceleration of the credit facilities' maturity dates may occur.

Capital lease obligations, including nuclear fuel leases, are a minimal part of Entergy's overall capital structure, and are discussed further in Note 10 to the financial statements. Following are Entergy's payment obligations under those leases:

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010-2011

 

after 2011

 

(In Millions)

Capital lease payments, including nuclear fuel leases


$153

 


$186

 


$-

 


$-

 


$2

17

Notes payable includes borrowings outstanding on credit facilities with original maturities of less than one year. Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, and Entergy Mississippi each have 364-day credit facilities available as follows:


Company

 


Expiration Date

 

Amount of
Facility

 

Amount Drawn as of
Dec. 31, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entergy Arkansas

 

April 2007

 

$85 million

 

-

Entergy Gulf States

 

February 2011

 

$50 million (a)

 

-

Entergy Mississippi

 

May 2007

 

$30 million (b)

 

-

Entergy Mississippi

 

May 2007

 

$20 million (b)

 

-

(a)

The credit facility allows Entergy Gulf States to issue letters of credit against the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of December 31, 2006, $1.4 million in letters of credit had been issued.

(b)

Borrowings under the Entergy Mississippi facilities may be secured by a security interest in its accounts receivable.

Operating Lease Obligations and Guarantees of Unconsolidated Obligations

Entergy has a minimal amount of operating lease obligations and guarantees in support of unconsolidated obligations. Entergy's guarantees in support of unconsolidated obligations are not likely to have a material effect on Entergy's financial condition or results of operations. Following are Entergy's payment obligations as of December 31, 2006 on non-cancelable operating leases with a term over one year:

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010-2011

 

after 2011

 

(In Millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating lease payments

$97

 

$80

 

$78

 

$123

 

$144

The operating leases are discussed more thoroughly in Note 10 to the financial statements.

Summary of Contractual Obligations of Consolidated Entities

Contractual Obligations

 

2007

 

2008-2009

 

2010-2011

 

after 2011

 

Total

 

 

(In Millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (1)

 

$697

 

$2,614

 

$3,225

 

$7,411

 

$13,947

Capital lease payments (2)

 

$153

 

$186

 

$-

 

$2

 

$341

Operating leases (2)

 

$97

 

$158

 

$123

 

$144

 

$522

Purchase obligations (3)

 

$1,414

 

$2,127

 

$1,754

 

$3,690

 

$8,985

(1)

Includes estimated interest payments. Long-term debt is discussed in Note 5 to the financial statements.

(2)

Capital lease payments include nuclear fuel leases. Lease obligations are discussed in Note 10 to the financial statements.

(3)

Purchase obligations represent the minimum purchase obligation or cancellation charge for contractual obligations to purchase goods or services. Almost all of the total are fuel and purchased power obligations.

In addition to these contractual obligations, in 2007, Entergy expects to contribute $176 million to its pension plans, including Entergy New Orleans' contribution of $44 million, and $66 million to other postretirement plans, including Entergy New Orleans' contribution of $5 million.

18

Capital Funds Agreement

Pursuant to an agreement with certain creditors, Entergy Corporation has agreed to supply System Energy with sufficient capital to:

Capital Expenditure Plans and Other Uses of Capital

Following are the amounts of Entergy's planned construction and other capital investments by operating segment for 2007 through 2009, excluding Entergy New Orleans:

Planned construction and capital investments

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

 

 

(In Millions)

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

Maintenance Capital:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

$776

 

$763

 

$762

 

Non-Utility Nuclear

 

97

 

78

 

82

 

Parent and Other

 

12

 

3

 

1

 

 

 

885

 

844

 

845

Capital Commitments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

406

 

985

 

482

 

Non-Utility Nuclear

 

447

 

172

 

219

 

 

 

853

 

1,157

 

701

Total

 

$1,738

$2,001 

$1,546

Entergy New Orleans' planned capital expenditures for the years 2007-2009 total $110 million, and in addition Entergy New Orleans expects for the years 2007-2009 to pay $109 million for capital investments related to Hurricane Katrina restoration and its gas rebuild project, of which $55 million is expected to be spent in 2007.

Maintenance Capital refers to amounts Entergy plans to spend on routine capital projects that are necessary to support reliability of its service, equipment, or systems and to support normal customer growth.

Capital Commitments refers to non-routine capital investments for which Entergy is either contractually obligated, has Board approval, or otherwise expects to make to satisfy regulatory or legal requirements. Amounts reflected in this category include the following:

19

The planned construction and capital investment amounts given above include minimal amounts for initial development costs for potential new nuclear development at the Grand Gulf and River Bend sites in the Utility, including licensing and design activities. This project is in the early stages, and several issues remain to be addressed over time before significant capital would be committed to this project. From time to time, Entergy considers other capital investments as potentially being necessary or desirable in the future. Because no contractual obligation, commitment, or Board approval exists to pursue these investments, they are not included in Entergy's planned construction and capital investments. These potential investments are also subject to evaluation and approval in accordance with Entergy's policies before amounts may be spent.

In July 2006, Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business reached an agreement to purchase Consumers Energy Company's 798 MW Palisades nuclear energy plant located near South Haven, Michigan for $380 million. The NRC recently renewed until 2031 the Palisades' operating license. Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business will acquire the plant, nuclear fuel, and other assets. In the near-term, Entergy intends to finance the acquisition through borrowings under Entergy Corporation's revolving credit facilities. As part of the purchase, Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business also executed a 15-year purchased power agreement with Consumers Energy for 100% of the plant's output, excluding any future uprates. Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business will assume responsibility for eventual decommissioning of the plant. Consumers Energy will retain $200 million of the projected $566 million Palisades decommissioning trust fund balance, and Entergy may return approximately $100 million more of the trust fund to Consumers Energy depending upon a pending tax ruling. Also as part of the transaction, Consumers Energy will pay Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business $30 million to accept responsibility for spent fuel at the decommissioned Big Rock nuclear plant, which is located near Charlevoix, Michigan. Management expects to close the transaction in the second quarter 2007, pending the approvals of the NRC, the FERC, the Michigan Public Service Commission, and other regulatory agencies.

Estimated capital expenditures are subject to periodic review and modification and may vary based on the ongoing effects of business restructuring, regulatory constraints, environmental regulations, business opportunities, market volatility, economic trends, and the ability to access capital.

The planned construction and capital investments given above do not include the costs associated with the potential interconnection between Entergy Gulf States and ERCOT that is discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements. These potential costs are currently estimated to be approximately $1 billion. The planned construction and capital investments given above also do not include the potential replacement of the Waterford 3 steam generators, which could be scheduled as early as 2011.  Routine inspections of the Waterford 3 steam generators during the fall 2006 refueling outage identified degradation of certain tube spacer supports in the steam generators that required repair beyond that anticipated prior to the refueling outage inspections.  Corrective measures were successfully implemented to permit continued operation of the steam generators. Future inspections of the steam generators will be scheduled to address this degradation mechanism and could result in additional planned outages, pending discussions with the NRC regarding this issue.  Entergy will continue to manage steam generator component life in accordance with industry standard practices.

Dividends and Stock Repurchases

Declarations of dividends on Entergy's common stock are made at the discretion of the Board. Among other things, the Board evaluates the level of Entergy's common stock dividends based upon Entergy's earnings, financial strength, and future investment opportunities. At its January 2007 meeting, the Board declared a dividend of $0.54 per share, which is the same quarterly dividend that Entergy has paid since the fourth quarter 2004. Entergy paid $449 million in 2006 and $454 million in 2005 in cash dividends on its common stock.

In accordance with Entergy's stock-based compensation plan, Entergy periodically grants stock options to its key employees, which may be exercised to obtain shares of Entergy's common stock. According to the plan, these shares can be newly issued shares, treasury stock, or shares purchased on the open market. Entergy's management has been authorized by the Board to repurchase on the open market shares up to an amount sufficient to fund the exercise of grants under the plans. In addition to this authority, the Board approved a program under which Entergy was

 

20

 

 

 authorized to repurchase up to $1.5 billion of its common stock through 2006. Entergy completed the $1.5 billion program in the fourth quarter 2006. In 2006, Entergy repurchased 6,672,000 shares of common stock under both programs for a total purchase price of $584 million.

On January 29, 2007, the Board approved a new repurchase program under which Entergy is authorized to repurchase up to $1.5 billion of its common stock, which Entergy expects to complete over the next two years.

Debtor-in-Possession Credit Agreement

On September 26, 2005, Entergy New Orleans, as borrower, and Entergy Corporation, as lender, entered into the Debtor-in-Possession (DIP) credit agreement, a debtor-in-possession credit facility to provide funding to Entergy New Orleans during its business restoration efforts. On December 9, 2005, the bankruptcy court issued its final order approving the DIP Credit Agreement. The credit facility provides for up to $200 million in loans. The facility enables Entergy New Orleans to request funding from Entergy Corporation, but the decision to lend money is at the sole discretion of Entergy Corporation. As of December 31, 2006, Entergy New Orleans had $52 million of outstanding borrowings under the DIP credit agreement.

Borrowings under the DIP credit agreement are due in full, and the agreement will terminate, at the earliest of (i) August 23, 2007, (ii) the acceleration of the loans and the termination of the DIP credit agreement in accordance with its terms, (iii) the date of the closing of a sale of all or substantially all of Entergy New Orleans' assets pursuant to either section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or a confirmed plan of reorganization, or (iv) the effective date of a plan of reorganization in Entergy New Orleans' bankruptcy case.

As security for Entergy Corporation as the lender, the terms of the December 9, 2005 bankruptcy court order provide that all borrowings by Entergy New Orleans under the DIP Credit Agreement are: (i) entitled to superpriority administrative claim status pursuant to section 364(c)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code; (ii) secured by a perfected first priority lien on all property of Entergy New Orleans pursuant to sections 364(c)(2) and 364(d) of the Bankruptcy Code, except on any property of Entergy New Orleans subject to valid, perfected, and non-avoidable liens of the lender on Entergy New Orleans' $15 million credit facility that existed as of the date Entergy New Orleans filed its bankruptcy petition; and (iii) secured by a perfected junior lien pursuant to section 364(c)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code on all property of Entergy New Orleans subject to valid, perfected, and non-avoidable liens in favor of the lender on Entergy New Orleans' $15 million credit facility that existed as of the date Entergy New Orleans filed its bankruptcy petition.

The interest rate on borrowings under the DIP credit agreement will be the average interest rate of borrowings outstanding under Entergy Corporation's $2 billion revolving credit facility, which was approximately 5.7% per annum at December 31, 2006.

Sources of Capital

Entergy's sources to meet its capital requirements and to fund potential investments include:

Circumstances such as weather patterns, fuel and purchased power price fluctuations, and unanticipated expenses, including unscheduled plant outages and storms, could affect the timing and level of internally generated funds in the future. In the following section, Entergy's cash flow activity for the previous three years is discussed.

21

Provisions within the Articles of Incorporation or pertinent indentures and various other agreements relating to the long-term debt and preferred stock of certain of Entergy Corporation's subsidiaries restrict the payment of cash dividends or other distributions on their common and preferred stock. As of December 31, 2006, Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Mississippi had restricted retained earnings unavailable for distribution to Entergy Corporation of $396.4 million and $121.6 million, respectively. All debt and common and preferred equity issuances by the Registrant Subsidiaries require prior regulatory approval and their preferred equity and debt issuances are also subject to issuance tests set forth in corporate charters, bond indentures, and other agreements. The Registrant Subsidiaries have sufficient capacity under these tests to meet foreseeable capital needs, except for Entergy New Orleans. As stated in the conditions precedent to the effectiveness of its proposed plan of reorganization described above, Entergy New Orleans believes that it requires the receipt of CDBG funds and insurance proceeds to meet its capital requirements resulting from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

After the repeal of PUHCA 1935, effective February 8, 2006, the FERC, under the Federal Power Act, and not the SEC, has jurisdiction over authorizing securities issuances by the Utility operating companies and System Energy (except securities with maturities longer than one year issued by (a) Entergy Arkansas, which are subject to the jurisdiction of the APSC and (b) Entergy New Orleans, which are currently subject to the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court). Under PUHCA 2005 and the Federal Power Act, no approvals are necessary for Entergy Corporation to issue securities. Under a savings provision in PUHCA 2005, each of the Utility operating companies and System Energy may rely on the financing authority in its existing PUHCA 1935 SEC order or orders through December 31, 2007 or until the SEC authority is superseded by FERC authorization. The FERC has issued an order (FERC Short-Term Order) approving the short-term borrowing limits of the Utility operating companies (except Entergy New Orleans) and System Energy through March 31, 2008. Entergy Gulf States and Entergy Louisiana, LLC have obtained long-term financing authorization from the FERC. Entergy New Orleans may rely on existing SEC PUHCA 1935 orders for its short-term financing authority, subject to bankruptcy court approval. In addition to borrowings from commercial banks, the FERC Short-Term Order authorized the Registrant Subsidiaries (except Entergy New Orleans which is authorized by an SEC PUHCA 1935 order) to continue as participants in the Entergy System money pool. The money pool is an intercompany borrowing arrangement designed to reduce Entergy's subsidiaries' dependence on external short-term borrowings. Borrowings from the money pool and external short-term borrowings combined may not exceed authorized limits. As of December 31, 2006, Entergy's subsidiaries' aggregate money pool and external short-term borrowings authorized limit was $2.0 billion, the aggregate outstanding borrowing from the money pool was $251.6 million, and Entergy's subsidiaries had no outstanding short-term borrowing from external sources. To the extent that the Registrant Subsidiaries wish to rely on SEC financing orders under PUHCA 1935, there are capitalization and investment grade ratings conditions that must be satisfied in connection with security issuances, other than money pool borrowings. See Note 4 to the financial statements for further discussion of Entergy's short-term borrowing limits.

Cash Flow Activity

As shown in Entergy's Statements of Cash Flows, cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004 were as follows:

     

2006

 

2005

 

2004

     

(In Millions)

               

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

$583 

 

$620

 

$507 

             

Effect of deconsolidating Entergy New Orleans in 2005

 

 

(8)

 

               

Cash flow provided by (used in):

           
 

Operating activities

 

 3,419 

 

 1,468 

 

2,929 

 

Investing activities

 

(1,899)

 

(1,992)

 

(1,143)

 

Financing activities

 

(1,084)

 

496 

 

(1,672)

Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents

 

(3)

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

 

433 

 

(29)

 

113 

               

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 

$1,016 

 

$583 

 

$620 

22

Operating Cash Flow Activity

2006 Compared to 2005

Entergy's cash flow provided by operating activities increased by $1,952 million in 2006 compared to 2005 primarily due to the following activity:

Entergy Corporation received a $344 million income tax refund (including $71 million attributable to Entergy New Orleans) as a result of net operating loss carryback provisions contained in the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005. The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act was enacted in December 2005.  The Act contains provisions that allow a public utility incurring a net operating loss as a result of Hurricane Katrina to carry back the casualty loss portion of the net operating loss ten years to offset previously taxed income.  The Act also allows a five-year carry back of the portion of the net operating loss attributable to Hurricane Katrina repairs expense and first year depreciation deductions, including 50% bonus depreciation, on Hurricane Katrina capital expenditures. In accordance with Entergy's intercompany tax allocation agreement, $273 million of the refund was distributed to the Utility (including Entergy New Orleans) in April 2006, with the remainder distributed primarily to Non-Utility Nuclear.

2005 Compared to 2004

Entergy's cash flow provided by operating activities decreased by $1,461 million in 2005 compared to 2004 primarily due to the following activity:

Investing Activities

2006 Compared to 2005

Net cash used in investing activities decreased slightly in 2006 compared to 2005 and was affected by the following activity:

 

23

 

 

2005 Compared to 2004

Net cash used in investing activities increased by $849 million in 2005 compared to 2004 primarily due to the following activity:

  • Construction expenditures were $47 million higher in 2005 than in 2004, including an increase of $147 million in the Utility business and a decrease of $82 million in the Non-Utility Nuclear business. Utility construction expenditures in 2005 include $302 million caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
  • The non-nuclear wholesale assets business realized $75 million in net proceeds from sales of portions of three of its power plants in 2004.
  • Entergy Louisiana purchased the 718 MW Perryville power plant in June 2005 for $162 million.
  • Entergy received net returns of invested capital from Entergy-Koch of $49 million in 2005 compared to $284 million in 2004 after the sale by Entergy-Koch of its trading and pipeline businesses. This activity is reported in the "Decrease in other investments" line in the cash flow statement.
  • Approximately $60 million of the cash collateral for a letter of credit that secured the installment obligations owed to NYPA for the acquisition of the FitzPatrick and Indian Point 3 nuclear power plants was released to Entergy in 2004.
  • The Utility used $390 million in 2005 and $54 million in 2004 for other regulatory investments as a result of fuel cost under-recovery. See Note 1 to the financial statements for discussion of the accounting treatment of these fuel cost under-recoveries.

Offsetting these factors was the following:

  • The non-nuclear wholesale assets business received a return of invested capital of $34 million in 2005 from the Top Deer wind power joint venture after Top Deer obtained debt financing.

Financing Activities

2006 Compared to 2005

Net cash used in financing activities was $1,084 million in 2006 compared to net cash flow provided by financing activities of $496 million in 2005. Following is a description of the significant financing activity affecting this comparison:

24

2005 Compared to 2004

Financing activities provided $496 million of cash in 2005 compared to using $1,672 million of cash in 2004 primarily due to the following activity:

  • Net issuances of long-term debt by the Utility segment provided $462 million of cash in 2005 compared to retirements of long-term debt net of issuances using $345 million in 2004. See Note 5 to the financial statements for the details of long-term debt outstanding at December 31, 2005.
  • Entergy Corporation increased the net borrowings on its credit facility by $735 million in 2005 compared to $50 million during 2004. See Note 4 to the financial statements for a description of the Entergy Corporation credit facility.
  • Entergy Corporation repurchased $878 million of its common stock in 2005 compared to $1,018 million in 2004.
  • Entergy Corporation issued $500 million of long-term notes in connection with its equity units offering in December 2005.
  • Entergy Louisiana, LLC issued $100 million of preferred membership interests in December 2005.

Significant Factors and Known Trends

Following are discussions of significant factors and known trends affecting Entergy's business, including rate regulation and fuel-cost recovery, federal regulation, and market and credit risk sensitive instruments.

State and Local Rate Regulation and Fuel-Cost Recovery

The rates that the Utility operating companies and System Energy charge for their services significantly influence Entergy's financial position, results of operations, and liquidity. These companies are closely regulated and the rates charged to their customers are determined in regulatory proceedings. Governmental agencies, including the APSC, the City Council, the LPSC, the MPSC, the PUCT, and the FERC, are primarily responsible for approval of the rates charged to customers. The status of material retail rate proceedings is summarized below and described in more detail in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements.

Company

 

Authorized
ROE

 

Pending Proceedings/Events

 

 

 

 

Entergy Arkansas

 

11.0%

 

  • Base rates have been in effect since 1998. Entergy Arkansas filed a rate case in August 2006 requesting a general base rate increase of $150 million (using an ROE of 11.25%), as well as recovery of FERC-allocated costs pursuant to the FERC decision on the System Agreement. Entergy Arkansas also requested a capacity management rider to recover incremental capacity costs. A procedural schedule has been established with a hearing in April 2007 with new rates expected to be effective in June 2007.
  • In December 2005, Entergy Arkansas provided notice of its intent to terminate participation in the System Agreement following a final order from the FERC establishing terms under which Entergy Arkansas may be required to make payments to other Utility operating companies to achieve rough production cost equalization.
  • Entergy Arkansas completed recovery in January 2006 of transition to competition costs through an $8.5 million transition cost recovery rider that has been in effect since October 2004.
25

 

 

 

 

Entergy Gulf States-Texas

 

10.95%

 

  • Base rates are currently set at rates approved by the PUCT in June 1999.
  • In June 2005, a Texas law was enacted that provides for a base rate freeze until mid-2008, but allows Entergy Gulf States to seek before then recovery of certain incremental purchased power capacity costs and recover reasonable and necessary transition to competition costs. An $18 million annual capacity rider was implemented effective December 2005. A $14.5 million annual transition cost recovery rider was implemented effective March 2006, which the PUCT approved in June 2006. The transition cost recovery rider is for a 15-year period.
  • In December 2006, the PUCT approved the recovery of $353 million (net of expected insurance proceeds of $66 million) in storm cost recovery expenses plus carrying charges. Entergy Gulf States will file a semi-annual report with the PUCT to reflect any additional insurance proceeds or other government grant money received, which would be applied against the storm cost recovery balance. In February 2007, the PUCT voted to approve securitization of the $353 million in storm cost recovery expenses, but it also offset the securitization amount by $31.6 million, which the PUCT Commissioners determined was the net present value of the accumulated deferred income tax benefits related to the storm costs. The PUCT further voted to impose certain caps on the amount of qualified transaction costs that can be included in the total securitization amount. The PUCT is expected to issue a financing order authorizing the issuance of securitization bonds by early-March 2007, and Entergy Gulf States intends to implement rates to recover revenues to pay the securitization bonds by mid-2007.

 

 

 

 

 

Entergy Gulf States-Louisiana

 

9.9%-11.4%

 

  • A three-year formula rate plan is in place with an ROE mid-point of 10.65% for the initial three-year term of the plan. Entergy Gulf States made its first formula rate plan filing in June 2005 for the test year ending December 31, 2004.
  • In May 2006, Entergy Gulf States made its formula rate plan filing with the LPSC for the 2005 test year. Entergy Gulf States implemented a $17.2 million increase, subject to refund, effective September 2006 for 1) recovery of $6.7 million of LPSC-approved incremental deferred and ongoing capacity costs and 2) $10.5 million of interim storm cost recovery pursuant to an LPSC order. The filing reflects an 11.1% return on common equity which is within the authorized bandwidth.
  • In May 2006, Entergy Gulf States completed the $6 million interim recovery of storm costs through the fuel adjustment clause pursuant to an LPSC order. Beginning in September 2006, interim recovery of $0.85 million per month was instituted via the formula rate plan. Interim recovery will continue until a final decision is reached by the LPSC with respect to Entergy Gulf States' supplemental and amending storm cost recovery application, which was filed in July 2006. Entergy Gulf States supplemented that filing on February 28, 2007, and seeks to recover $219 million in storm-related costs and to build an $87 million storm reserve. The February 2007 filing also seeks authority to securitize the storm cost recovery and storm reserve amounts. Hearings are expected to begin in April 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

26

Entergy Louisiana

 

9.45%-
11.05%

 

  • A three-year formula rate plan is in place with an ROE mid-point of 10.25% for the initial three-year term of the plan. Entergy Louisiana made its first formula rate plan filing under this plan in May 2006 based on a 2005 test year.
  • In May 2006, Entergy Louisiana made its formula rate plan filing with the LPSC for the 2005 test year. Entergy Louisiana implemented a $143.4 million increase, subject to refund, effective September 2006 for 1) ongoing and deferred incremental capacity costs of $119.2 million and 2) $24.2 million of interim storm cost recovery pursuant to an LPSC order. In response to an LPSC Staff report, Entergy Louisiana subsequently reduced rates by $0.5 million annually, effective October 2006, to reflect issues and errors identified by the staff with which Entergy Louisiana agrees. The modified filing reflects a 9.56% return on common equity, which is within the authorized bandwidth, and a reduction in the collection of ongoing and deferred incremental capacity costs to $118.7 million. Entergy Louisiana and the LPSC Staff are working to resolve outstanding issues.
  • In April 2006, Entergy Louisiana completed the $14 million interim recovery of storm costs through the fuel adjustment clause pursuant to an LPSC order. Beginning in September 2006, interim recovery of $2 million per month was instituted via the formula rate plan. Interim recovery will continue until a final decision is reached by the LPSC with respect to Entergy Louisiana's supplemental and amending storm cost recovery application, which was filed in July 2006. Entergy Louisiana supplemented that filing on February 28, 2007, and seeks to recover $561 million in storm-related costs and to build a $141 million storm reserve. The February 2007 filing also seeks authority to securitize the storm cost recovery and storm reserve amounts. Hearings are expected to begin in April 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

Entergy Mississippi

 

9.7%-
12.4%

 

  • An annual formula rate plan is in place. In April 2006, Entergy Mississippi submitted its annual scheduled formula rate plan filing with the MPSC reflecting a return on equity of 9.35%, resulting in a deficiency.  The MPSC has approved a settlement providing for a $1.8 million rate increase, which was implemented in August 2006.
  • The MPSC approved the purchase of the 480MW Attala power plant and the investment cost recovery through its power management rider. As a consequence of the events surrounding Entergy Mississippi's ongoing efforts to recover storm restoration costs associated with Hurricane Katrina, in October 2006, the MPSC approved a revision to Entergy Mississippi's power management rider. The revision has the effect of allowing Entergy Mississippi to recover the annual ownership costs of the Attala plant until such time as there has been a resolution of Entergy Mississippi's recovery of its storm restoration costs and a general rate case can be filed.
  • In October 2006, the Mississippi Development Authority approved for payment and Entergy Mississippi received $81 million in CDBG funding for Hurricane Katrina costs. The MPSC then issued a financing order authorizing the issuance of $48 million of state bonds, with $8 million for the remainder of Entergy Mississippi's certified Hurricane Katrina restoration costs not funded by CDBG and $40 million for the increase in Entergy Mississippi's storm damage reserve.

 

 

 

 

 

27

Entergy New Orleans

 

10.75% -Electric; 10.75% -Gas

 

  • In October 2006, the City Council approved a settlement agreement that calls for a phased-in rate increase to ensure Entergy New Orleans' ability to focus on restoration of electric and gas systems. When fully implemented by January 1, 2008, electric base rates will increase by $3.9 million. Recovery of all Grand Gulf costs through the fuel adjustment clause will continue. Gas base rates increased by $4.75 million in November 2006, and will increase an additional $1.5 million in March 2007 and an additional $4.75 million in November 2007. The settlement calls for Entergy New Orleans to file a base rate case by July 31, 2008. The settlement agreement discontinues the formula rate plan and the generation performance-based plan but permits Entergy New Orleans to file an application to seek authority to implement formula rate plan mechanisms no sooner than six months following the effective date of the implementation of the base rates resulting from the July 31, 2008 base rate case. Any storm costs in excess of CDBG funding and insurance proceeds will be addressed in that base rate case. The settlement also authorizes a $75 million storm reserve for damage from future storms, which will be created over a ten-year period through a storm reserve rider beginning in March 2007.
  • In October 2006, the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Board endorsed a resolution proposing to allocate $200 million in CDBG funds to Entergy New Orleans to defray gas and electric utility system repair costs in an effort to provide rate relief for Entergy New Orleans customers. The action plan was approved by state lawmakers in December 2006 and by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in February 2007. In addition, the City Council must review and certify the storm costs before an application can be filed with the LRA and CDBG funds can be released to Entergy New Orleans. The City Council has stated its intent to complete its certification by March 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

System Energy

 

10.94%

 

  • ROE approved by July 2001 FERC order. No cases pending before FERC.

In addition to the regulatory scrutiny connected with base rate proceedings, the Utility operating companies' fuel and purchased power costs recovered from customers are subject to regulatory scrutiny. The Utility operating companies' significant fuel and purchased power cost proceedings are described in Note 2 to the financial statements.

Federal Regulation

The FERC regulates wholesale rates (including Entergy Utility intrasystem sales pursuant to the System Agreement) and interstate transmission of electricity, as well as rates for System Energy's sales of capacity and energy from Grand Gulf to Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans pursuant to the Unit Power Sales Agreement.

System Agreement Proceedings

The Utility operating companies historically have engaged in the coordinated planning, construction, and operation of generating and bulk transmission facilities under the terms of the System Agreement, which is a rate schedule that has been approved by the FERC. The LPSC has been pursuing litigation involving the System Agreement at the FERC. The proceeding includes challenges to the allocation of costs as defined by the System Agreement and raises questions of imprudence by the Utility operating companies in their execution of the System Agreement.

28

In June 2005, the FERC issued a decision in the System Agreement litigation, and essentially affirmed its decision in a December 2005 order on rehearing. The FERC decision concluded, among other things, that:

The FERC's decision would reallocate total production costs of the Utility operating companies whose relative total production costs expressed as a percentage of Entergy System average production costs are outside an upper or lower bandwidth. This would be accomplished by payments from Utility operating companies whose production costs are more than 11% below Entergy System average production costs to Utility operating companies whose production costs are more than the Entergy System average production cost, with payments going first to those Utility operating companies whose total production costs are farthest above the Entergy System average.

An assessment of the potential effects of the FERC's decision requires assumptions regarding the future total production cost of each Utility operating company, which assumptions include the mix of solid fuel and gas-fired generation available to each company and the costs of natural gas and purchased power.  Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Gulf States, and Entergy Mississippi are more dependent upon gas-fired generation sources than Entergy Arkansas or Entergy New Orleans. Of these, Entergy Arkansas is the least dependent upon gas-fired generation sources.  Therefore, increases in natural gas prices likely will increase the amount by which Entergy Arkansas' total production costs are below the average total production costs of the Utility operating companies. 

Considerable uncertainty exists regarding future gas prices. For purposes of the August 2006 Entergy Arkansas general base rate case filing discussed above in "State and Local Rate Regulation," an assessment of the potential effects of the FERC's June 2005 order, as amended by its December 2005 order on rehearing, was calculated on the basis of a 2006 test year, using a 2006 gas price that consisted of a non-weighted average of twelve months of gas prices calculated as follows: January through May 2006 were actual, volume-weighted monthly averages of day-ahead cash prices as reported by Energy Intelligence Natural Gas Week; the June 2006 price was the First of the Month Index price as reported by Platts Inside FERC's Gas Market Report; the July 2006 price was the 5/31/06 NYMEX Henry Hub settlement price; and August through December 2006 were 30 calendar-day rolling averages as of May 31, 2006 of forward NYMEX Henry Hub gas contracts.  For example, the August 2006 price was an average of all the daily NYMEX settlement prices for the August 2006 contract for each trading day from the period 5/2/06 - 5/31/06 inclusive.  A similar calculation was made using the daily settlements of the September 2006 through December 2006 NYMEX contracts to arrive at those monthly prices. This resulted in an average annual gas price of $7.49/mmBtu. If an annual average gas price of $7.49/mmBtu occurred for 2006 as assumed, the following potential annual production cost reallocation among the Utility operating companies could result:

 

Annual Payments
or (Receipts)

 

(In Millions)

Entergy Arkansas

$284

Entergy Gulf States

($197)

Entergy Louisiana

($59)

Entergy Mississippi

($28)

Entergy New Orleans

$0

29

If the actual, annual, average natural gas price deviates by $1/mmBtu up or down from the price assumed above, it is expected that Entergy Arkansas' annual payments will change in the same direction by approximately $70 to $80 million.

The LPSC, APSC, MPSC, and the AEEC have appealed the FERC decision to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Entergy and the City of New Orleans have intervened in the various appeals. The parties to the proceeding reached agreement on a proposed briefing schedule that would result in the completion of briefing during the first half of 2007. The proposed briefing schedule has been submitted to the Court of Appeals.

Management believes that any changes in the allocation of production costs resulting from the FERC's decision and related retail proceedings should result in similar rate changes for retail customers. The timing of recovery of these costs in rates could be the subject of additional proceedings before Entergy's retail regulators. Although the outcome and timing of the FERC and other proceedings cannot be predicted at this time, Entergy does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these proceedings will have a material effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

Entergy's Utility Operating Companies' Compliance Filing

In April 2006, the Utility operating companies filed with the FERC its compliance filing to implement the provisions of the FERC's decision. The filing amends the System Agreement to provide for the calculation of production costs, average production costs, and payments/receipts among the Utility operating companies to the extent required to maintain rough production cost equalization pursuant to the FERC's decision. The FERC accepted the compliance filing in November 2006, with limited modifications. In accordance with the FERC's order, the first payments/receipts would be based on calendar year 2006 production costs, with any payments/receipts among the Utility operating companies to be made in seven monthly installments commencing in June 2007. Various parties have filed requests for rehearing of the FERC's order accepting the compliance filing. Among other things, the LPSC requests rehearing of the FERC's decision to have the first payments commence in June 2007, rather than earlier; to not require interest on the unpaid balance, and the FERC's decision with regard to the re-pricing of energy from the Vidalia hydroelectric project for purposes of calculating production cost disparities. Various Arkansas parties request rehearing of the FERC's decision (1) to require payments be made over seven months, rather than 12; (2) on the application of the +/- 11% bandwidth; and (3) the FERC's decision to reject various accounting allocations proposed by the Utility operating companies. The Utility operating companies filed a revised compliance plan on December 18, 2006 implementing the provisions of the FERC's November order.

APSC System Agreement Investigation

Citing its concerns that the benefits of its continued participation in the current form of the System Agreement have been seriously eroded, in December 2005, Entergy Arkansas submitted its notice that it will terminate its participation in the current System Agreement effective 96 months from December 19, 2005 or such earlier date as authorized by the FERC. Entergy Arkansas indicated, however, that a properly structured replacement agreement could be a viable alternative. The APSC had previously commenced an investigation, in 2004, into whether Entergy Arkansas' continued participation in the System Agreement is in the best interests of its customers. In June 2006 the APSC issued an order in its investigation requiring Entergy Arkansas President Hugh McDonald to file testimony in response to several questions involving details of what action Entergy Arkansas or Entergy has taken to ensure that Entergy Arkansas' customers are protected from additional costs including those related to the following areas: construction of new generating plants located outside of Arkansas, costs of the Entergy New Orleans bankruptcy, and costs associated with restoration of facilities damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Mr. McDonald was also directed to describe actions taken since December 19, 2005 to encourage or persuade the FERC to authorize Entergy Arkansas to exit the Entergy System Agreement sooner than 96 months, and to describe current and future actions related to development of a replacement system agreement. Responsive testimony was filed with the APSC in July and August 2006. A public hearing for the purpose of cross-examination of Mr. McDonald on his testimony and for questioning by the APSC was also conducted in July 2006. There is no further procedural schedule set in this investigation at this time.

30

The APSC also commenced investigations concerning Entergy Louisiana's Vidalia purchased power contract and Entergy Louisiana's then pending acquisition of the Perryville power plant. Entergy Arkansas has provided information to the APSC in these investigations and no further activity has occurred in them.

APSC Complaint at the FERC

In June 2006, the APSC filed a complaint with the FERC against Entergy Services as the representative of Entergy Corporation and the Utility operating companies, pursuant to Sections 205, 206 and 207 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). The APSC complaint states, "the purpose of the complaint is to institute an investigation into the prudence of Entergy's practices affecting the wholesale rates that flow through its System Agreement." The complaint requests, among other things, that the FERC disallow any costs found to be imprudent, with a refund effective date to be set at the earliest possible time. Specific areas of requested investigation include:

The complaint also requests that the FERC exercise its authority under Section 207 of the FPA to investigate the adequacy of Entergy's transmission system and direct it to make all necessary upgrades to ensure that its transmission facilities provide reliable, adequate and economic service.

In July 2006, the Utility operating companies submitted their answer to the APSC complaint. In their answer, the Utility operating companies acknowledge that while the FERC is the appropriate forum to consider the issues raised in the APSC's complaint, the APSC has provided no probative evidence supporting its allegations and has not met the standards under the FPA to have a matter set for hearing. Under the FPA standards, the APSC must create "serious doubt" as to the propriety of the challenged actions. As indicated in the Utility operating companies' answer, the APSC complaint does not raise a "serious doubt" but instead largely relies on unsupported assertions, many of which have been investigated in other proceedings. In those limited instances when the APSC complaint references "evidence" in an attempt to support its request for a hearing, the "evidence" to which it refers in fact does nothing to support its position but, rather, shows that the Utility operating companies have acted prudently. As further indicated in the Utility operating companies' answer, following the issuance of the FERC's System Agreement decision, all of the production costs of the Utility operating companies are now inputs to a formula rate that will result in bandwidth payments among the Utility operating companies in order to roughly equalize production costs. The Utility operating companies' answer further explains that based on well-established Supreme Court precedent, the FERC has exclusive jurisdiction over all inputs that will be included in the System Agreement bandwidth formula rates filed in compliance with the FERC's System Agreement decision and retail regulators are preempted from taking any action that disturbs the FERC's findings with respect to these production cost inputs and the FERC-determined allocation of production costs among the Utility operating companies. The Utility operating companies believe that their conduct with respect to these issues has been prudent and will vigorously defend such conduct.

Several parties have intervened in the proceeding, including the MPSC, the LPSC, and the City Council. The LPSC's answer and comments in response to the APSC complaint ask the FERC to investigate whether Entergy Arkansas' withdrawal from the System Agreement is fair, just, and reasonable. In September 2006, the Utility operating companies, the APSC, and other intervenors in the proceeding filed responses to the answers and comments submitted by the various intervenors in July 2006. In their responses, the APSC and the LPSC, among others, argue that the FERC need not address at this time its jurisdiction over the matters raised by the complaint and further that the retail regulators are not preempted from exercising jurisdiction over those same production costs that are being considered in the proceeding. In October 2006, the Utility operating companies filed an answer to the other parties' September 2006 comments. In the October 2006 answer, the Utility operating companies explain,

 

31

 

 

 among other things, that the FERC must address the jurisdictional issues raised by the parties to the proceeding and that the LPSC's and APSC's view concerning jurisdiction and preemption are inconsistent with federal law and regulation.

LPSC System Agreement Complaint at the FERC

On December 18, 2006, the LPSC filed a complaint requesting the FERC "immediately institute a proceeding to determine whether, and on what terms, [Entergy Arkansas] may withdraw" from the System Agreement. The complaint alleges that "safeguards must be adopted to ensure that the remaining operating companies and their customers are protected from adverse effects of the termination attempt of [Entergy Arkansas]." The LPSC requests that the FERC (1) investigate the effect that Entergy Arkansas' notice of termination will have on the rates, charges, and billings under the System Agreement and the capacity and production costs of the remaining Utility operating companies and adopt remedies that are just and reasonable; and (2) provide for the continuation of the bandwidth payments by Entergy Arkansas, require Entergy Arkansas provide "generating capacity or wholesale power contracts to Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States-Louisiana sufficient to satisfy the rough production cost equalization requirements established in the System Agreement orders, or require "hold harmless protection be put in place to prevent any harm to [Entergy Louisiana] and [Entergy Gulf States-Louisiana] as a result of the impact of [Entergy Arkansas'] termination." The LPSC complaint further urges the FERC to find that "Entergy controls the actions of [Entergy Arkansas] and is responsible for and liable for any damages caused and remedies required due to [Entergy Arkansas'] termination." The Utility operating companies filed a response to the LPSC complaint on January 31, 2007 explaining that the System Agreement explicitly provides each Utility operating company the unilateral right to terminate its participation in the System Agreement upon 96 months written notice to the other Utility operating companies. This right is absolute and unambiguous and is not conditioned or limited in any way, as the LPSC's complaint would suggest. The unilateral right to terminate has been in the System Agreement at least since 1973 and the agreement has been litigated before the FERC by the LPSC on numerous occasions. At no point has the LPSC raised this issue nor has the FERC determined the termination provision to be unjust or unreasonable.

MPSC System Agreement Inquiry

In response to an inquiry from the MPSC, Entergy Mississippi advised the MPSC of its view that it would be premature to decide at this time whether to terminate Entergy Mississippi's participation in the current System Agreement. Entergy Mississippi indicated that it would report to the MPSC during the first quarter of 2007 regarding its continuing evaluation of the issues concerning Entergy Mississippi's participation in the current System Agreement.

Independent Coordinator of Transmission

In 2000, the FERC issued an order encouraging utilities to voluntarily place their transmission facilities under the control of independent RTOs (regional transmission organizations) by December 15, 2001. The FERC issued this order after previously requiring that utilities file an open access transmission tariff to implement the federal mandate to offer unused transmission capacity to the wholesale power marketplace on a nondiscriminatory basis. Delays in implementing the FERC RTO order have occurred due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that utility companies, other stakeholders, and federal and state regulators continue to work to resolve various issues related to the establishment of such RTOs.

In November 2006, after years of filings, orders, technical conferences, and proceedings at the FERC, the Utility operating companies installed the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) as their Independent Coordinator of Transmission (ICT). The installation does not transfer control of Entergy's transmission system to the ICT, but rather vests with the ICT responsibility for:

 

32

 

 

The initial term of the ICT is four years, and Entergy is precluded from terminating the ICT prior to the end of the four-year period. A transmission users group has been established that will provide input directly to the ICT. If there is a dispute between the ICT and Entergy concerning transmission service requests, transmission planning, and interconnection requests, the ICT's position will prevail during the pendency of the dispute resolution. In its April 2006 order approving Entergy's ICT proposal, the FERC stated that the WPP must be operational within approximately 14 months of the FERC order or the FERC may reevaluate all approvals to proceed with the ICT.

After the FERC issued its April 2006 order approving the ICT proposal, the Utility operating companies made their compliance filing with the FERC in May 2006, including the executed ICT agreement with SPP. Several parties filed protests regarding the compliance filing. In October 2006, the FERC accepted the Utility operating companies' compliance filing, with modification, and directed the Utility operating companies to install SPP as the ICT within 30 days of the order. As stated above, SPP was installed as the ICT in November 2006. The Utility operating companies filed a request for clarification with respect to two provisions of the FERC order accepting the compliance filing and several other parties have filed for rehearing of the FERC's order. The Utility operating companies submitted a revised compliance filing implementing the provisions of the FERC's October 2006 order. In addition to the requests for rehearing on the FERC's order accepting the compliance filing, certain parties have submitted requests for rehearing of the various FERC orders approving the ICT proposal. These requests for rehearing are also pending before the FERC.

On October 30, 2006, the Utility operating companies filed revisions to their Open Access Transmission Tariff ("OATT") with the FERC to establish a mechanism to recover from their wholesale transmission customers the (1) costs incurred to develop or join an RTO and to develop the ICT; and (2) the on-going costs that will be incurred under the ICT agreement. Several parties intervened opposing the proposed tariff revisions. On December 22, 2006 the FERC accepted for filing Entergy's proposed tariff revisions, and set them for hearing and settlement procedures. In its Order, the FERC concluded that the Utility operating companies "should be allowed the opportunity to recover its start up costs associated with its formation of the ICT and its participation in prior failed attempts to form an RTO," but that the proposed tariffs raised issues of fact that are more properly addressed through hearing and settlement procedures. Settlement discussions with the intervenors are currently ongoing.

In March 2004, the APSC initiated a proceeding to review Entergy's proposal and compare the benefits of such a proposal to the alternative of Entergy joining the Southwest Power Pool RTO. The APSC sought comments from all interested parties on this issue. Various parties, including the APSC General Staff, filed comments opposing the ICT proposal. A public hearing has not been scheduled by the APSC at this time, although Entergy Arkansas has responded to various APSC data requests. In May 2004, Entergy Mississippi filed a petition for review with the MPSC requesting MPSC support for the ICT proposal. A hearing in that proceeding was held in August 2004. Entergy New Orleans appeared before the Utility Committee of the City Council in June 2005 to provide information on the ICT proposal. Entergy Louisiana and Entergy Gulf States filed an application with the LPSC requesting that the LPSC find that the ICT proposal is a prudent and appropriate course of action. A hearing in the LPSC proceeding on the ICT proposal was held in October 2005, and the LPSC voted to approve the ICT proposal in July 2006.

33

Available Flowgate Capacity (AFC) Proceeding

On March 22, 2005, the FERC issued an order that holds Entergy's AFC hearing in abeyance pending action on Entergy's ICT filing. The order holding the hearing in abeyance further indicated that it would cancel the hearing when the ICT begins to perform its functions. On December 18, 2006, the Utility operating companies filed with the FERC a request to cancel the AFC hearing now that the ICT had been installed and assumed its responsibilities. One intervenor opposed the cancellation of the AFC hearing and other intervenors filed requesting that the FERC clarify that if the motion to cancel the hearing is granted, that such cancellation "does not affect the continuing obligation of Entergy to provide transmission meeting the standard of good utility practice."

FERC Investigations

In 2005, the Utility operating companies notified the FERC's Office of Market Oversight and Investigations (FERC enforcement) that certain historic data related to the hourly AFC models was inadvertently lost due to errors in the implementation of a data archiving process. The data at issue is hourly AFC data for the nine-month period April 27, 2004 through January 31, 2005. Subsequently, the Utility operating companies notified FERC enforcement that: (1) Entergy had identified certain instances in which transmission service either was granted when there was insufficient transmission capacity or was not granted when there was sufficient transmission capacity; and (2) Entergy had failed to timely post to Entergy's OASIS site certain curtailment and schedule information. Entergy cooperated fully and timely in the investigation of these instances. In January 2007, the FERC approved a settlement agreement between the Utility operating companies and the FERC enforcement staff resolving all issues arising out of or related to these issues. The Order accepting the Stipulation and Consent Agreement indicates that the matters "were generally the result of low-level employees' inadvertent actions, done without the knowledge or acquiescence of senior management. The matters did not reflect undue preference or undue discrimination and resulted in little or no quantifiable harm." Pursuant to the Stipulation and Consent Agreement, Entergy agreed to pay a $2 million civil penalty and to make a $1 million payment to the Nike/Entergy Green Schools for New Orleans Partnership. Additionally, the Stipulation and Consent Agreement required the establishment of a compliance plan that includes independent auditing provisions.

Following the notification of the potential loss by the Utility operating companies of AFC data, a separate, non-public investigation was initiated by the FERC to review the Utility operating companies' record retention policies and practices. In October 2006, the FERC enforcement issued an audit report addressing the Utility operating companies' compliance with the FERC's records retention regulations. The audit report notes the following: (i) one instance where the Utility operating companies' treatment of a contract failed to comply with a FERC-imposed record retention period and notification requirement; (ii) one instance where the Utility operating companies temporarily lost an individual record but were subsequently able to reproduce it; (iii) four instances where records were retained for the full period required by the FERC, but may have been inadvertently lost prior to a retention period required by a different agency or the Utility operating companies' internal retention requirements; and (iv) a limited number of instances where the Utility operating companies' internal policies could be improved. The findings and recommendations in the audit report, which were agreed to by the Utility operating companies, represent a consensual resolution of the audit. Although these findings are not indicative of any significant areas of non-compliance, the Utility operating companies believe that the audit staff's recommendations will improve the records retention program and therefore agreed to implement the audit staff's recommendations.

The FERC is currently reviewing certain wholesale sales and purchases involving EPMC that occurred during the 1998-2001 time period. EPMC was an Entergy subsidiary engaged in non-regulated wholesale marketing and trading activities prior to the formation of Entergy-Koch. Entergy is working with the FERC investigation staff to provide information regarding these transactions.

Interconnection Orders

The Utility operating companies (except Entergy New Orleans) have been parties to several proceedings before the FERC in which independent generation entities (GenCos) are seeking a refund of monies that the GenCos had previously paid to the Entergy companies for

 

34

 

 

 facilities necessary to connect their generation facilities to Entergy's transmission system. In some of these cases the Utility operating companies filed rehearing requests that challenged the FERC's decision to grant the GenCos a refund of such amounts. Recently, the FERC issued orders that denied the Utility operating companies' rehearing requests, thereby upholding the refund of monies to the GenCos that was previously directed by the FERC. These recent findings retained Entergy's obligation to refund approximately $124.0 million, including interest, in expenses and tax obligations previously paid by the GenCos, including $35.7 million for Entergy Arkansas, $32.5 million for Entergy Gulf States, $32.6 million for Entergy Louisiana, and $23.2 million for Entergy Mississippi. $56.4 million of this amount has been refunded to date, including approximately $22.3 million for Entergy Arkansas, $3.3 million for Entergy Gulf States, $21.9 million for Entergy Louisiana, and $8.9 million for Entergy Mississippi.

The FERC has also recently denied rehearing of an order that directed Entergy Mississippi to refund to SMEPA the expense it incurred in constructing certain facilities necessary for the interconnection of its Silver Creek generating unit to Entergy' transmission system. Although Entergy Mississippi does not yet know the total expense and tax obligation associated with these SMEPA facilities, such amount is estimated at approximately $10 million.

The FERC has also recently issued an order granting one of the complaints that have been pending before the FERC concerning other GenCos' requests that they receive refunds for certain facilities necessary for their interconnections with the Utility operating companies. The order requires Entergy Gulf States to refund approximately $5.4 million to the GenCo. This refund, along with those referenced above, has been and will continue to be primarily provided in the form of credits against transmission charges over time as the GenCos take transmission service from Entergy.

The Utility operating companies (except Entergy New Orleans) continue to be subject to several pending, but not acted upon, complaints where GenCos are seeking additional refunds from the Utility operating companies. While these matters concern the same issues addressed by the FERC in the cases described above, the FERC has not yet acted in these dockets, in which approximately $49.4 million in expenses previously paid by the GenCos is in dispute, including $26.8 million for Entergy Arkansas, $6.2 million for Entergy Gulf States, $8.0 million for Entergy Louisiana, and $8.4 million for Entergy Mississippi.

To the extent the Utility operating companies have been ordered to provide refunds, or may in the future be ordered to provide additional refunds, the majority of these costs will qualify for inclusion in the Utility operating companies' rates. The recovery of these costs is not automatic, however, especially at the retail level, where the majority of the cost recovery would occur. With respect to the facilities for which FERC has ordered refunds, the Utility operating companies intend to request the ICT to evaluate the classification of facilities that have produced the refunds. Any reclassification by the ICT could reduce the amount of refunds not yet credited against transmission charges.

Market-based Rate Authority

On May 5, 2005, the FERC instituted a proceeding under Section 206 of the FPA to investigate whether Entergy satisfies the FERC's transmission market power and affiliate abuse/reciprocal dealing standards for the granting of market-based rate authority, and established a refund effective date pursuant to the provisions of Section 206, for purposes of the additional issues set for hearing.  However, the FERC decided to hold that investigation in abeyance pending the outcomes of the ICT proceeding and Entergy's affiliate purchased power agreements proceeding. On June 6, 2005, Entergy sought rehearing of the May 5 Order and that request for rehearing is pending.

On July 22, 2005, Entergy notified the FERC that it was withdrawing its request for market-based rate authority for sales within its control area. Instead, the Utility operating companies and their affiliates will transact at cost-based rates for wholesale sales within the Entergy control area. On November 1, 2005, Entergy submitted proposed cost-based rates for both the Utility operating companies and Entergy's non-regulated entities that sell at wholesale within the Entergy control area. The Utility operating companies' cost-based rates were accepted for filing by the FERC, however, the non-regulated entities' cost-based rate filing was set for hearing and settlement procedures. A settlement in principle has been reached between

 

35

 

 

 the non-regulated entities and the FERC Staff concerning this issue. Separately, the FERC accepted for filing Entergy Gulf States' proposed cost-based rates for wholesale sales to three separate municipalities. Additionally, Entergy reserves its right to request market-based rate authority for sales within its control area in the future. The relinquishment of market-based rates for sales within the Entergy control area is not expected to have a material effect on the financial results of Entergy.

Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 became law in August 2005. The legislation contains electricity provisions that, among other things:

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Market and Credit Risk Sensitive Instruments

Market risk is the risk of changes in the value of commodity and financial instruments, or in future operating results or cash flows, in response to changing market conditions. Entergy holds commodity and financial instruments that are exposed to the following significant market risks:

Entergy's commodity and financial instruments are also exposed to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk of loss from nonperformance by suppliers, customers, or financial counterparties to a contract or agreement. Credit risk also includes potential demand on liquidity due to collateral requirements within supply or sales agreements.

Commodity Price Risk

Power Generation

The sale of electricity from the power generation plants owned by Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business, unless otherwise contracted, is subject to the fluctuation of market power prices. Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business has entered into PPAs and other contracts to sell the power produced by its power plants at prices established in the PPAs. Entergy continues to pursue opportunities to extend the existing PPAs and to enter into new PPAs with other parties. Following is a summary of the amount of the Non-Utility Nuclear business' output that is currently sold forward under physical or financial contracts:

   

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010

 

2011

Non-Utility Nuclear (including pending Palisades acquisition):

                   

Percent of planned generation sold forward:

                   
 

Unit-contingent

 

43%

 

45%

 

36%

 

23%

 

23%

 

Unit-contingent with guarantee of availability (1)

 

45%

 

36%

 

28%

 

22%

 

7%

 

Firm liquidated damages

 

7%

 

4%

 

0%

 

0%

 

0%

 

Total

 

95%

 

85%

 

64%

 

45%

 

30%

Planned generation (TWh)

 

38

 

41

 

41

 

41

 

41

Average contracted price per MWh

 

$49

 

$53

 

$57

 

$53

 

$47

(1)

A sale of power on a unit contingent basis coupled with a guarantee of availability provides for the payment to the power purchaser of contract damages, if incurred, in the event the seller fails to deliver power as a result of the failure of the specified generation unit to generate power at or above a specified availability threshold. All of Entergy's outstanding guarantees of availability provide for dollar limits on Entergy's maximum liability under such guarantees.

The Vermont Yankee acquisition included a 10-year PPA under which the former owners will buy most of the power produced by the plant, which is through the expiration in 2012 of the current operating license for the plant. The PPA includes an adjustment clause under which the prices specified in the PPA will be adjusted downward monthly, beginning in November 2005, if power market prices drop below PPA prices, which has not happened thus far and is not expected in the foreseeable future.

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Non-Utility Nuclear's purchase of the Fitzpatrick and Indian Point 3 plants from NYPA included value sharing agreements with NYPA. Under the value sharing agreements, to the extent that the average annual price of the energy sales from each of the two plants exceeds specified strike prices, the Non-Utility Nuclear business will pay 50% of the amount exceeding the strike prices to NYPA. These payments, if required, will be recorded as adjustments to the purchase price of the plants. The annual energy sales subject to the value sharing agreements are limited to the lesser of actual generation or generation assuming an 85% capacity factor based on the plants' capacities at the time of the purchase. The value sharing agreements are effective through 2014. The strike prices for Fitzpatrick range from $37.51/MWh in 2005 increasing by approximately 3.5% each year to $51.30/MWh in 2014, and the strike prices for Indian Point 3 range from $42.26/MWh in 2005 increasing by approximately 3.5% each year to $57.77/MWh in 2014.

Non-Utility Nuclear calculated that no payment was owed to NYPA under the value sharing agreements for 2005. On November 1, 2006, NYPA filed a demand for arbitration claiming that $90.5 million was due to NYPA under these agreements for 2005. Non-Utility Nuclear has filed a motion in New York State court to determine whether NYPA's claim should be decided by a court as opposed to by an arbitrator. Regardless of whether a court or an arbitrator decides NYPA's claim, Non-Utility Nuclear disagrees with NYPA's interpretation of the value sharing agreements, believes it has meritorious defenses to NYPA's claims, and intends to litigate those claims vigorously.

Some of the agreements to sell the power produced by Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear power plants contain provisions that require an Entergy subsidiary to provide collateral to secure its obligations under the agreements. The Entergy subsidiary will be required to provide collateral based upon the difference between the current market and contracted power prices in the regions where Non-Utility Nuclear sells power. The primary form of collateral to satisfy these requirements would be an Entergy Corporation guaranty.  Cash and letters of credit are also acceptable forms of collateral.  At December 31, 2006, based on power prices at that time, Entergy had in place as collateral $810 million of Entergy Corporation guarantees for wholesale transactions, including $88 million of guarantees that support letters of credit. The assurance requirement associated with Non-Utility Nuclear is estimated to increase by an amount up to $303 million if gas prices increase $1 per MMBtu in both the short- and long-term markets. In the event of a decrease in Entergy Corporation's credit rating to below investment grade, Entergy will be required to replace Entergy Corporation guarantees with cash or letters of credit under some of the agreements.

In addition to selling the power produced by its plants, the Non-Utility Nuclear business sells installed capacity to load-serving distribution companies in order for those companies to meet requirements placed on them by the ISO in their area. Following is a summary of the amount of the Non-Utility Nuclear business' installed capacity that is currently sold forward, and the blended amount of the Non-Utility Nuclear business' planned generation output and installed capacity that is currently sold forward:

   

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010

 

2011

Non-Utility Nuclear (including pending Palisades acquisition):

                   

Percent of capacity sold forward:

                   
 

Bundled capacity and energy contracts

 

21%

 

27%

 

27%

 

27%

 

26%

 

Capacity contracts

 

66%

 

39%

 

26%

 

9%

 

3%

 

Total

 

87%

 

66%

 

53%

 

36%

 

29%

Planned net MW in operation (average for 2007 to reflect pending Palisades acquisition during the year)

 

4,732

 

4,998

 

4,998

 

4,998

 

4,998

Average capacity contract price per kW per month

 

$1.7

 

$1.4

 

$1.3

 

$1.7

 

$2.0

Blended Capacity and Energy (based on revenues)

                   

% of planned generation and capacity sold forward

 

93%

 

80%

 

60%

 

39%

 

23%

Average contract revenue per MWh

 

$50

 

$54

 

$58

 

$53

 

$47

As of December 31, 2006, approximately 97% of Non-Utility Nuclear's counterparty exposure from energy and capacity contracts is with counterparties with investment grade credit ratings.

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Entergy continually monitors industry trends in order to determine whether asset impairments or other losses could result from a decline in value, or cancellation, of merchant power projects, and records provisions for impairments and losses accordingly. As discussed in "Results of Operations" above, in 2004 Entergy determined that the value of the Warren Power plant owned by the non-nuclear wholesale assets business was impaired, and recorded the appropriate provision for the loss.

Central States Compact Claim

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 holds each state responsible for disposal of low-level radioactive waste originating in that state, but allows states to participate in regional compacts to fulfill their responsibilities jointly.  Arkansas and Louisiana participate in the Central Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact (Central States Compact or Compact).  Commencing in early 1988, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, and Entergy Louisiana made a series of contributions to the Central States Compact to fund the Central States Compact's development of a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility to be located in Boyd County, Nebraska.  In December 1998, Nebraska, the host state for the proposed Central States Compact disposal facility, denied the compact's license application for the proposed disposal facility.  Several parties, including the commission that governs the compact (the Compact Commission), filed a lawsuit against Nebraska seeking damages resulting from Nebraska's denial of the proposed facility's license.  After a trial, the U.S. District Court concluded that Nebraska violated its good faith obligations regarding the proposed waste disposal facility and rendered a judgment against Nebraska in the amount of $151 million.  In August 2004, Nebraska agreed to pay the Compact $141 million in settlement of the judgment. In July 2005, the Compact Commission decided to distribute a substantial portion of the proceeds from the settlement to the nuclear power generators that had contributed funding for the Boyd County facility, including Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, and Entergy Louisiana. On August 1, 2005, Nebraska paid $145 million, including interest, to the Compact, and the Compact distributed from the settlement proceeds $23.6 million to Entergy Arkansas, $19.9 million to Entergy Gulf States, and $19.4 million to Entergy Louisiana.  The proceeds caused an increase in pre-tax earnings of $28.7 million.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of Entergy's financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to apply appropriate accounting policies and to make estimates and judgments that can have a significant effect on reported financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Management has identified the following accounting policies and estimates as critical because they are based on assumptions and measurements that involve a high degree of uncertainty, and the potential for future changes in the assumptions and measurements that could produce estimates that would have a material effect on the presentation of Entergy's financial position or results of operations.

Nuclear Decommissioning Costs

Entergy owns a significant number of nuclear generation facilities in both its Utility and Non-Utility Nuclear business units. Regulations require Entergy to decommission its nuclear power plants after each facility is taken out of service, and money is collected and deposited in trust funds during the facilities' operating lives in order to provide for this obligation. Entergy conducts periodic decommissioning cost studies to estimate the costs that will be incurred to decommission the facilities. The following key assumptions have a significant effect on these estimates:

 

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In the third quarter of 2004, Entergy Gulf States recorded a revision to its estimated decommissioning cost liability in accordance with a new decommissioning cost study for River Bend that reflected an expected life extension for the plant. The revised estimate resulted in a $116.8 million reduction in decommissioning liability, along with a $31.3 million reduction in utility plant, a $40.1 million reduction in the related regulatory asset, and a regulatory liability of $17.7 million. For the portion of River Bend not subject to cost-based ratemaking, the revised estimate resulted in the elimination of the asset retirement cost that had been recorded at the time of adoption of SFAS 143 with the remainder recorded as miscellaneous income of $27.7 million ($17 million net-of-tax).

In the third quarter of 2004, Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business recorded a reduction of $20.3 million in its decommissioning cost liability to reflect changes in assumptions regarding the timing of when the decommissioning of a plant will begin. Entergy considered the assumptions as part of recent studies evaluating the economic effect of the plant in its region. The revised estimate resulted in miscellaneous income of $20.3 million ($11.9 million net-of-tax).

In the first quarter of 2005, Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business recorded a reduction of $26.0 million in its decommissioning cost liability in conjunction with a new decommissioning cost study as a result of revised decommissioning costs and changes in assumptions regarding the timing of the decommissioning of a plant. The revised estimate resulted in miscellaneous income of $26.0 million ($15.8 million net-of-tax), reflecting the excess of the reduction in the liability over the amount of undepreciated assets.

In the second quarter of 2005, Entergy Louisiana recorded a revision to its estimated decommissioning cost liability in accordance with a new decommissioning cost study for Waterford 3 that reflected an expected life extension for the plant. The revised estimate resulted in a $153.6 million reduction in its decommissioning liability, along with a $49.2 million reduction in utility plant and a $104.4 million reduction in the related regulatory asset.

In the third quarter of 2005, Entergy Arkansas recorded a revision to its estimated decommissioning cost liability for ANO 2 in accordance with the receipt of approval by the NRC of Entergy Arkansas' application for a life extension for the unit. The revised estimate resulted in an $87.2 million

 

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 reduction in its decommissioning liability, along with a corresponding reduction in the related regulatory asset.

In the third quarter of 2005, System Energy recorded a revision to its estimated decommissioning cost liability in accordance with a new decommissioning cost study for Grand Gulf.  The revised estimate resulted in a $41.4 million reduction in the decommissioning cost liability for Grand Gulf, along with a $39.7 million reduction in utility plant and a $1.7 million reduction in the related regulatory asset.

In the third quarter of 2006, Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear business recorded a reduction of $27 million in decommissioning liability for a plant as a result of a revised decommissioning cost study and changes in assumptions regarding the timing of when decommissioning of the plant will begin. The revised estimate resulted in miscellaneous income of $27 million ($16.6 million net-of-tax), reflecting the excess of the reduction in the liability over the amount of undepreciated asset retirement cost recorded at the time of adoption of SFAS 143.

Unbilled Revenue

As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, Entergy records an estimate of the revenues earned for energy delivered since the latest customer billing. Each month the estimated unbilled revenue amounts are recorded as revenue and a receivable, and the prior month's estimate is reversed. The difference between the estimate of the unbilled receivable at the beginning of the period and the end of the period is the amount of unbilled revenue recognized during the period. The estimate recorded is primarily based upon an estimate of customer usage during the unbilled period and the billed price to customers in that month, including fuel price. Therefore, revenue recognized may be affected by the estimated price and usage at the beginning and end of each period and fuel price fluctuations, in addition to changes in certain components of the calculation. Effective January 1, 2006, Entergy Louisiana and the Louisiana portion of Entergy Gulf States reclassified the fuel component of unbilled accounts receivable to deferred fuel and will no longer include the fuel component in the unbilled calculation, which is in accordance with regulatory treatment.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Entergy has significant investments in long-lived assets in all of its segments, and Entergy evaluates these assets against the market economics and under the accounting rules for impairment whenever there are indications that impairments may exist. This evaluation involves a significant degree of estimation and uncertainty, and these estimates are particularly important in Entergy's Utility business and the non-nuclear wholesale assets business. In the Utility business, portions of River Bend and Grand Gulf are not included in rate base, which could reduce the revenue that would otherwise be recovered for the applicable portions of those units' generation. In the non-nuclear wholesale assets business, Entergy's investments in merchant generation assets are subject to impairment if adverse market conditions arise.

In order to determine if Entergy should recognize an impairment of a long-lived asset that is to be held and used, accounting standards require that the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows from the asset be compared to the asset's carrying value. If the expected undiscounted future cash flows exceed the carrying value, no impairment is recorded; if such cash flows are less than the carrying value, Entergy is required to record an impairment charge to write the asset down to its fair value. If an asset is held for sale, an impairment is required to be recognized if the fair value (less costs to sell) of the asset is less than its carrying value.

These estimates are based on a number of key assumptions, including:

 

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In the fourth quarter of 2005, Entergy recorded a charge of $39.8 million ($25.8 million net-of-tax) as a result of the impairment of the Competitive Retail Services business' information technology systems. Entergy decided to divest the retail electric portion of the Competitive Retail Services business operating in the ERCOT region of Texas and, in connection with that decision, management evaluated the carrying amount of the Competitive Retail Services business' information technology systems and determined that an impairment provision should be recorded.

In the fourth quarter of 2004, Entergy recorded a charge of approximately $55 million ($36 million net-of-tax) as a result of an impairment of the value of the Warren Power plant. Entergy concluded that the value of the plant, which is owned in the non-nuclear wholesale assets business, was impaired. Entergy reached this conclusion based on valuation studies prepared in connection with the Entergy Asset Management stock sale discussed above in "Results of Operations."

Qualified Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Entergy sponsors qualified, defined benefit pension plans which cover substantially all employees. Additionally, Entergy currently provides postretirement health care and life insurance benefits for substantially all employees who reach retirement age while still working for Entergy. Entergy's reported costs of providing these benefits, as described in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements, are impacted by numerous factors including the provisions of the plans, changing employee demographics, and various actuarial calculations, assumptions, and accounting mechanisms. Because of the complexity of these calculations, the long-term nature of these obligations, and the importance of the assumptions utilized, Entergy's estimate of these costs is a critical accounting estimate for the Utility and Non-Utility Nuclear segments.

Assumptions

Key actuarial assumptions utilized in determining these costs include:

Entergy reviews these assumptions on an annual basis and adjusts them as necessary. The falling interest rate environment and worse-than-expected performance of the financial equity markets in previous years have impacted Entergy's funding and reported costs for these benefits. In addition, these trends have caused Entergy to make a number of adjustments to its assumptions.

In selecting an assumed discount rate to calculate benefit obligations, Entergy reviews market yields on high-quality corporate debt and matches these rates with Entergy's projected stream of benefit payments. Based on recent market trends, Entergy increased its discount rate used to calculate benefit obligations from 5.9% in 2005 to 6.00% in 2006. Entergy's assumed discount rate used to calculate the 2004 benefit obligations was 6.00%. Entergy reviews actual recent cost trends and projected future trends in establishing health care cost trend rates. Based on this review, Entergy's health care cost trend rate assumption used in calculating the December 31, 2006 accumulated postretirement benefit obligation was a 10% increase in health care costs in 2007 gradually decreasing each successive year, until it reaches a 4.5% annual increase in health care costs in 2012 and beyond.

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In determining its expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, Entergy reviews past long-term performance, asset allocations, and long-term inflation assumptions. Entergy targets an asset allocation for its pension plan assets of roughly 65% equity securities, 31% fixed-income securities and 4% other investments. The target allocation for Entergy's other postretirement benefit assets is 51% equity securities and 49% fixed-income securities. Entergy's expected long-term rate of return on plan assets used to calculate benefit obligations was 8.5% in 2006, 2005 and 2004. The assumed rate of increase in future compensation levels used to calculate benefit obligations was 3.25% in 2006, 2005 and 2004.

Cost Sensitivity

The following chart reflects the sensitivity of qualified pension cost to changes in certain actuarial assumptions (dollars in thousands):



Actuarial Assumption

 


Change in
Assumption

 

Impact on 2006
Qualified Pension Cost

 

Impact on Qualified Projected
Benefit Obligation

 

 

Increase/(Decrease)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discount rate

 

(0.25%)

 

$11,746

 

$110,087

Rate of return on plan assets

 

(0.25%)

 

$5,311

 

-

Rate of increase in compensation

 

0.25%

 

$6,034

 

$33,326

The following chart reflects the sensitivity of postretirement benefit cost to changes in certain actuarial assumptions (dollars in thousands):



Actuarial Assumption

 


Change in
Assumption

 

Impact on 2006
Postretirement Benefit
Cost

 

Impact on Accumulated
Postretirement Benefit
Obligation

 

 

Increase/(Decrease)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health care cost trend

 

0.25%

 

$5,294

 

$25,774

Discount rate

 

(0.25%)

 

$3,510

 

$31,008

Each fluctuation above assumes that the other components of the calculation are held constant.

Accounting Mechanisms

In September 2006, FASB issued SFAS 158, "Employer's Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, an amendment of FASB Statements Nos. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R)," to be effective December 31, 2006. SFAS 158 requires an employer to recognize in its balance sheet the funded status of its benefit plans. Refer to Note 11 to the financial statements for a further discussion of SFAS 158 and Entergy's funded status.

In accordance with SFAS No. 87, "Employers' Accounting for Pensions," Entergy utilizes a number of accounting mechanisms that reduce the volatility of reported pension costs. Differences between actuarial assumptions and actual plan results are deferred and are amortized into expense only when the accumulated differences exceed 10% of the greater of the projected benefit obligation or the market-related value of plan assets. If necessary, the excess is amortized over the average remaining service period of active employees.

Additionally, Entergy accounts for the effect of asset performance on pension expense over a twenty-quarter phase-in period through a "market-related" value of assets calculation. Since the market-related value of assets recognizes investment gains or losses over a twenty-quarter period, the future value of assets will be impacted as previously deferred gains or losses are recognized.

Entergy's qualified pension accumulated benefit obligation at December 31, 2005 exceeded plan assets. As a result, Entergy was required to recognize an additional minimum pension liability as prescribed by SFAS 87. At December 31, 2005, Entergy's qualified pension plans' additional

 

43

 

 

 minimum pension liability was $406 million ($382 million net of related pension assets). Other comprehensive income was $15 million at December 31, 2005, after reductions for the unrecognized prior service cost, amounts recoverable in rates, and taxes. Net income for 2005 and 2004 was not affected. In accordance with SFAS 158, the additional minimum pension liability has been replaced in 2006 with the recording of the funded status of the defined benefit and other postretirement benefit plans.

Costs and Funding

In 2006, Entergy's total qualified pension cost was $131 million. Entergy anticipates 2007 qualified pension cost to decrease to $128 million (including Entergy New Orleans' cost of $2.8 million) due to an increase in the discount rate (from 5.90% to 6.00%) and 2006 actual return on plan assets greater than 8.5%. Pension funding was $318 million for 2006, including the 2005 contribution of $107 million that was delayed until 2006 as a result of the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act. Entergy's contributions to the pension trusts are projected to be $176 million in 2007, including Entergy New Orleans' contribution of $44 million.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 was signed by the President on August 17, 2006. The intent of the legislation is to require companies to fund 100% of their pension liability; and then for companies to fund, on a going-forward basis, an amount generally estimated to be the amount that the pension liability increases each year due to an additional year of service by the employees eligible for pension benefits. The legislation requires that funding shortfalls be eliminated by companies over a seven-year period, beginning in 2008. The Pension Protection Act also extended the provisions of the Pension Funding Equity Act that would have expired in 2006 had the Pension Protection Act not been enacted, which increased the allowed discount rate used to calculate the pension funding liability.

Total postretirement health care and life insurance benefit costs for Entergy in 2006 were $90 million, including $28 million in savings due to the estimated effect of future Medicare Part D subsidies. Entergy expects 2007 postretirement health care and life insurance benefit costs to be $88 million (including Entergy New Orleans' costs of $5 million). This includes a projected $26 million in savings due to the estimated effect of future Medicare Part D subsidies. The decrease in postretirement health care and life insurance benefit costs is due to the increase in the discount rate (from 5.9% to 6.00%) and plan amendments in the Non-Utility Nuclear plans.

Other Contingencies

As a company with multi-state domestic utility operations and a history of international investments, Entergy is subject to a number of federal, state, and international laws and regulations and other factors and conditions in the areas in which it operates, which potentially subject it to environmental, litigation, and other risks. Entergy periodically evaluates its exposure for such risks and records a reserve for those matters which are considered probable and estimable in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Environmental

Entergy must comply with environmental laws and regulations applicable to the handling and disposal of hazardous waste. Under these various laws and regulations, Entergy could incur substantial costs to restore properties consistent with the various standards. Entergy conducts studies to determine the extent of any required remediation and has recorded reserves based upon its evaluation of the likelihood of loss and expected dollar amount for each issue. Additional sites could be identified which require environmental remediation for which Entergy could be liable. The amounts of environmental reserves recorded can be significantly affected by the following external events or conditions:

 

44

 

 

Litigation

Entergy has been named as defendant in a number of lawsuits involving employment, ratepayer, and injuries and damages issues, among other matters. Entergy periodically reviews the cases in which it has been named as defendant and assesses the likelihood of loss in each case as probable, reasonably estimable, or remote and records reserves for cases which have a probable likelihood of loss and can be estimated. Notes 2 and 8 to the financial statements include more detail on ratepayer and other lawsuits and management's assessment of the adequacy of reserves recorded for these matters. Given the environment in which Entergy operates, and the unpredictable nature of many of the cases in which Entergy is named as a defendant, however, the ultimate outcome of the litigation Entergy is exposed to has the potential to materially affect the results of operations of Entergy, or its operating company subsidiaries.

Sales Warranty and Tax Reserves

Entergy's operations, including acquisitions and divestitures, require Entergy to evaluate risks such as the potential tax effects of a transaction, or warranties made in connection with such a transaction. Entergy believes that it has adequately assessed and provided for these types of risks, where applicable. Any reserves recorded for these types of issues, however, could be significantly affected by events such as claims made by third parties under warranties, additional transactions contemplated by Entergy, or completion of reviews of the tax treatment of certain transactions or issues by taxing authorities. Tax reserves not expected to reverse within the next year are reflected as non-current taxes accrued in the financial statements. Entergy does not expect a material adverse effect on earnings from these matters.

New Accounting Pronouncements

FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes" (FIN 48) was issued in July 2006 and is effective for Entergy in the first quarter of 2007. FIN 48 establishes a "more-likely-than-not" recognition threshold that must be met before a tax benefit can be recognized in the financial statements. If a tax deduction is taken on a tax return, but does not meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, an increase in income tax liability, above what is payable on the tax return, is required to be recorded. Additional disclosure in the footnotes to the financial statements will also be required for such liabilities. Entergy does not expect that the adoption of FIN 48 will materially affect its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.  Entergy expects that the cumulative effect of the adoption of FIN 48 will result in a reduction to consolidated retained earnings at January 1, 2007 in the range of $3 million to $5 million.

In September 2006 the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" (SFAS 157), which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS 157 generally does not require any new fair value measurements. However, in some cases, the application of SFAS 157 in the future may change Entergy's practice for measuring and disclosing fair values under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements. SFAS 157 is effective for Entergy in the first quarter 2008 and will be applied prospectively. Entergy is currently evaluating SFAS 157 and its potential future impacts on its financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In February 2007 the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 159, "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" (SFAS 159), which permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. SFAS 159 is effective for Entergy in the first quarter 2008, and because SFAS 159 was recently issued Entergy's evaluation is in its initial stages.

45

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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46

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA - FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON
                     
    2006   2005   2004   2003   2002
    (In Thousands, Except Percentages and Per Share Amounts)
                     
Operating revenues   $10,932,158   $10,106,247   $9,685,521   $9,032,714   $8,299,052
Income from continuing operations   $1,133,098   $943,125   $909,565   $804,273 (1) $609,915
Earnings per share from continuing operations                    
  Basic   $5.46   $4.49   $4.01   $3.55   $2.73
  Diluted   $5.36   $4.40   $3.93   $3.48   $2.68
Dividends declared per share   $2.16   $2.16   $1.89   $1.60   $1.34
Return on common equity   14.21%   11.20%   10.70%   11.21%   7.85%
Book value per share, year-end   $40.45   $37.31   $38.25   $38.02   $35.24
Total assets   $31,082,731   $30,857,657   $28,310,777   $28,527,388   $27,504,366
Long-term obligations (2)   $8,996,620   $9,013,448   $7,180,291   $7,497,690   $7,488,919
                     
(1) Before cumulative effect of accounting changes.
(2) Includes long-term debt (excluding currently maturing debt), preferred stock with sinking fund, and noncurrent capital lease obligations.
                     
    2006   2005   2004   2003   2002
    (Dollars In Millions)
Utility Electric Operating Revenues:                    
  Residential   $3,193   $2,912   $2,842   $2,683   $2,440
  Commercial   2,318   2,041   2,045   1,882   1,673
  Industrial   2,630   2,419   2,311   2,082   1,850
  Governmental   155   141   200   195   179
    Total retail   8,296   7,513   7,398   6,842   6,142
  Sales for resale (1)   612   656   390   371   330
  Other   155   278   145   184   174
    Total   $9,063   $8,447   $7,933   $7,397   $6,646
Utility Billed Electric Energy Sales (GWh):                    
  Residential   31,665   31,569   32,897   32,817   32,581
  Commercial   25,079   24,401   26,468   25,863   25,354
  Industrial   38,339   37,615   40,293   38,637   41,018
  Governmental   1,580   1,568   2,568   2,651   2,678
    Total retail   96,663   95,153   102,226   99,968   101,631
  Sales for resale (1)   10,803   11,459   8,623   9,248   9,828
    Total   107,466   106,612   110,849   109,216   111,459
                     

(1) Includes sales to Entergy New Orleans, which was deconsolidated in 2006 and 2005.  See Note 18 to the financial statements.

47

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders
Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries:

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries (the "Corporation") as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income; of retained earnings, comprehensive income, and paid-in capital; and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Corporation's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

As discussed in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements, in 2006 the Corporation adopted the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans - an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R).

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the effectiveness of the Corporation's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 26, 2007 expressed an unqualified opinion on management's assessment of the effectiveness of the Corporation's internal control over financial reporting and an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Corporation's internal control over financial reporting.

 

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

 

New Orleans, Louisiana
February 26, 2007

48

 

 

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 
    For the Years Ended December 31,
    2006   2005   2004
    (In Thousands, Except Share Data)
             
OPERATING REVENUES            
Domestic electric   $9,063,135    $8,446,830    $7,932,577 
Natural gas   84,230    77,660    208,499 
Competitive businesses   1,784,793    1,581,757    1,544,445 
TOTAL   10,932,158    10,106,247    9,685,521 
             
OPERATING EXPENSES            
Operating and Maintenance:            
  Fuel, fuel-related expenses, and            
   gas purchased for resale   3,144,073    2,176,015    2,488,208 
  Purchased power   2,138,237    2,521,247    1,701,610 
  Nuclear refueling outage expenses   169,567    162,653    166,072 
  Provisions for asset impairments and restructuring charges       55,000 
  Other operation and maintenance   2,335,364    2,122,206    2,268,332 
Decommissioning   145,884    143,121    149,529 
Taxes other than income taxes   428,561    382,521    403,635 
Depreciation and amortization   887,792    856,377    893,574 
Other regulatory credits - net   (122,680)   (49,882)   (90,611)
TOTAL   9,126,798    8,314,258    8,035,349 
             
OPERATING INCOME   1,805,360    1,791,989    1,650,172 
             
OTHER INCOME            
Allowance for equity funds used during construction   39,894    45,736    39,582 
Interest and dividend income   198,835    150,479    109,635 
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates   93,744    985    (78,727)
Miscellaneous - net   16,114    14,251    55,509 
TOTAL   348,587    211,451    125,999 
              
INTEREST AND OTHER CHARGES            
Interest on long-term debt   498,451    440,334    463,384 
Other interest - net   75,502    64,646    40,133 
Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction   (23,931)   (29,376)   (25,741)
Preferred dividend requirements and other   27,783    25,427    23,525 
TOTAL   577,805    501,031    501,301 
             
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES   1,576,142    1,502,409    1,274,870 
              
Income taxes   443,044    559,284    365,305 
             
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS   1,133,098    943,125    909,565 
             
LOSS FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (net of income tax expense            
(benefit) of $67 , ($24,051), and $603, respectively)   (496)   (44,794)   (41)
             
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME   $1,132,602    $898,331    $909,524 
             
             
Basic earnings (loss) per average common share:            
  Continuing operations   $5.46    $4.49    $4.01 
  Discontinued operations     ($0.21)  
  Basic earnings per average common share   $5.46    $4.27    $4.01 
Diluted earnings (loss) per average common share:            
  Continuing operations   $5.36    $4.40    $3.93 
  Discontinued operations     ($0.21)  
  Diluted earnings per average common share   $5.36    $4.19    $3.93 
Dividends declared per common share   $2.16    $2.16    $1.89 
             
Basic average number of common shares outstanding   207,456,838    210,141,887    226,863,758 
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding   211,452,455    214,441,362    231,193,686 
             
See Notes to Financial Statements.            

 

49

 

 

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
    For the Years Ended December 31,
    2006   2005   2004
    (In Thousands)
   
OPERATING ACTIVITIES            
Consolidated net income   $1,132,602    $898,331    $909,524 
Adjustments to reconcile consolidated net income to net cash flow            
 provided by operating activities:            
  Reserve for regulatory adjustments   36,352    (82,033)   33,533 
  Other regulatory credits - net   (122,680)   (49,882)   (90,611)
  Depreciation, amortization, and decommissioning   1,035,153    1,001,852    1,045,122 
  Deferred income taxes, investment tax credits, and non-current taxes accrued   738,643    487,804    352,094 
  Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates - net of dividends   4,436    4,315    608,141 
  Provisions for asset impairments and restructuring charges     39,767    55,000 
  Changes in working capital:            
    Receivables   408,042    (367,351)   (210,419)
    Fuel inventory   13,097    (83,125)   (16,769)
    Accounts payable   (83,884)   303,194    95,306 
    Taxes accrued   (835)   (33,306)   (1,581)
    Interest accrued   5,975    15,133    5,269 
    Deferred fuel   582,947    (236,801)   213,627 
    Other working capital accounts   64,479    (45,653)   41,008 
  Provision for estimated losses and reserves   39,822    (3,704)   (18,041)
  Changes in other regulatory assets   (127,305)   (311,934)   48,626 
  Other   (307,429)   (68,799)   (140,510)
Net cash flow provided by operating activities   3,419,415    1,467,808    2,929,319 
             
INVESTING ACTIVITIES            
Construction/capital expenditures   (1,586,016)   (1,458,086)   (1,410,610)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction   39,894    45,736    39,582 
Nuclear fuel purchases   (326,248)   (314,414)   (238,170)
Proceeds from sale/leaseback of nuclear fuel   135,190    184,403    109,988 
Proceeds from sale of assets and businesses   77,159      75,430 
Payment for purchase of plant   (88,199)   (162,075)  
Investment in nonutility properties       (6,420)
Decrease in other investments   (6,353)   9,905    383,498 
Purchases of other temporary investments     (1,591,025)   (1,629,500)
Liquidation of other temporary investments     1,778,975    1,676,350 
Proceeds from nuclear decommissioning trust fund sales   777,584    944,253    679,466 
Investment in nuclear decommissioning trust funds   (884,123)   (1,039,824)   (769,273)
Other regulatory investments   (38,037)   (390,456)   (53,566)
Net cash flow used in investing activities   (1,899,149)   (1,992,608)   (1,143,225)
             
See Notes to Financial Statements.            
             
             
             

50

 
             
ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
    For the Years Ended December 31,
    2006   2005   2004
    (In Thousands)
     
FINANCING ACTIVITIES            
Proceeds from the issuance of:            
  Long-term debt   1,837,713    4,302,570    3,653,478 
  Preferred stock   73,354    127,995   
  Common stock and treasury stock   70,455    106,068    170,237 
Retirement of long-term debt   (1,804,373)   (2,689,206)   (4,022,548)
Repurchase of common stock   (584,193)   (878,188)   (1,017,996)
Redemption of preferred stock   (183,881)   (33,719)   (3,450)
Changes in credit line borrowings - net   (15,000)   39,850    (154)
Dividends paid:            
  Common stock   (448,954)   (453,508)   (427,901)
  Preferred stock   (28,848)   (25,472)   (23,525)
Net cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities   (1,083,727)   496,390    (1,671,859)
             
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents   (3,207)   (602)   (1,882)
             
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   433,332    (29,012)   112,353 
             
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   582,820    619,786    507,433 
             
Effect of the deconsolidation of Entergy New Orleans on cash and cash equivalents     (7,954)  
             
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $1,016,152    $582,820    $619,786 
             
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:            
  Cash paid/(received) during the period for:            
    Interest - net of amount capitalized   $526,424    $461,345    $477,768 
    Income taxes   ($147,435)   $116,072    $28,241 
             
See Notes to Financial Statements.            
             

 

51

 

 

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
ASSETS
 
    December 31,
    2006   2005
    (In Thousands)
         
CURRENT ASSETS        
Cash and cash equivalents:        
  Cash   $117,379    $221,773 
  Temporary cash investments - at cost,         
   which approximates market   898,773    361,047 
     Total cash and cash equivalents   1,016,152    582,820 
Note receivable - Entergy New Orleans DIP loan   51,934    90,000 
Notes receivable   699    3,227 
Accounts receivable:        
  Customer   410,512    629,717 
  Allowance for doubtful accounts   (19,348)   (30,805)
  Other   487,264    459,152 
  Accrued unbilled revenues   249,165    477,570 
     Total receivables   1,127,593    1,535,634 
Deferred fuel costs     543,927 
Accumulated deferred income taxes   11,680   
Fuel inventory - at average cost   193,098    206,195 
Materials and supplies - at average cost   604,998    610,932 
Deferred nuclear refueling outage costs   147,521    164,152 
Prepayments and other   171,759    325,795 
TOTAL   3,325,434    4,062,682 
         
OTHER PROPERTY AND INVESTMENTS        
Investment in affiliates - at equity   229,089    296,784 
Decommissioning trust funds   2,858,523    2,606,765 
Non-utility property - at cost (less accumulated depreciation)   212,726    228,833 
Other   47,115    81,535 
TOTAL   3,347,453    3,213,917 
         
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT        
Electric   30,713,284    29,161,027 
Property under capital lease   730,182    727,565 
Natural gas   92,787    86,794 
Construction work in progress   786,147    1,524,085 
Nuclear fuel under capital lease   269,485    271,615 
Nuclear fuel   561,291    436,646 
TOTAL PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT   33,153,176    32,207,732 
Less - accumulated depreciation and amortization   13,715,099    13,010,687 
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT - NET   19,438,077    19,197,045 
         
DEFERRED DEBITS AND OTHER ASSETS        
Regulatory assets:        
  SFAS 109 regulatory asset - net   740,110    735,221 
  Other regulatory assets   2,768,352    2,133,724 
  Deferred fuel costs   168,122    120,489 
Long-term receivables   19,349    25,572 
Goodwill   377,172    377,172 
Other   898,662    991,835 
TOTAL   4,971,767    4,384,013 
          
TOTAL ASSETS   $31,082,731    $30,857,657 
         
See Notes to Financial Statements.        
 
 
52
 
 
ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
    December 31,
    2006   2005
    (In Thousands)
         
CURRENT LIABILITIES        
Currently maturing long-term debt   $181,576    $103,517 
Notes payable   25,039    40,041 
Accounts payable   1,122,596    1,655,787 
Customer deposits   248,031    222,206 
Taxes accrued   187,324    188,159 
Accumulated deferred income taxes     143,409 
Interest accrued   160,831    154,855 
Deferred fuel costs   73,031   
Obligations under capital leases   153,246    130,882 
Pension and other postretirement liabilities   41,912   
Other   271,544    473,510 
TOTAL   2,465,130    3,112,366 
         
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES        
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued   5,820,700    5,282,759 
Accumulated deferred investment tax credits   358,550    376,550 
Obligations under capital leases   188,033    175,005 
Other regulatory liabilities   449,237    408,667 
Decommissioning and asset retirement cost liabilities   2,023,846    1,923,971 
Transition to competition   79,098    79,101 
Regulatory reserves   219    18,624 
Accumulated provisions   88,902    144,880 
Pension and other postretirement liabilities   1,410,433    1,118,964 
Long-term debt   8,798,087    8,824,493 
Preferred stock with sinking fund   10,500    13,950 
Other   847,196    1,184,082 
TOTAL   20,074,801    19,551,046 
         
Commitments and Contingencies        
         
Preferred stock without sinking fund   344,913    445,974 
         
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY        
Common stock, $.01 par value, authorized 500,000,000        
 shares; issued 248,174,087 shares in 2006 and in 2005   2,482    2,482 
Paid-in capital   4,827,265    4,817,637 
Retained earnings   6,113,042    5,433,931 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (100,512)   (343,819)
Less - treasury stock, at cost (45,506,311 shares in 2006 and        
 40,644,602 shares in 2005)   2,644,390    2,161,960 
TOTAL   8,197,887    7,748,271 
         
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY   $31,082,731    $30,857,657 
         
See Notes to Financial Statements.        

 

53

 

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF RETAINED EARNINGS, COMPREHENSIVE INCOME, AND PAID-IN CAPITAL
 
                             
        For the Years Ended December 31,
        2006   2005   2004
        (In Thousands)
                             
RETAINED EARNINGS                            
                             
Retained Earnings - Beginning of period       $5,433,931        $4,989,826        $4,502,508     
                             
  Add:                            
    Consolidated net income       1,132,602    $1,132,602    898,331    $898,331    909,524    $909,524 
    Adjustment for change in accounting method                   5,524     
      Total       1,132,602        898,331        915,048     
                             
  Deduct:                            
    Dividends declared on common stock       448,572        453,657        427,740     
    Capital stock and other expenses       4,919        569        (10)    
      Total       453,491        454,226        427,730     
                             
Retained Earnings - End of period       $6,113,042        $5,433,931        $4,989,826     
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS                            
Balance at beginning of period:                            
  Accumulated derivative instrument fair value changes       ($392,614)       ($141,411)       ($25,811)    
  Other accumulated comprehensive income (loss) items       48,795        47,958        18,016     
     Total       (343,819)       (93,453)       (7,795)    
                             
                             
Net derivative instrument fair value changes                            
  arising during the period (net of tax expense (benefit) of $187,462,                            

  ($159,236) and ($74,082))

      287,036    287,036    (251,203)   (251,203)   (115,600)   (115,600)
                             
Foreign currency translation (net of tax expense of $1,122, $211, and $659)       3,207    3,207    602    602    1,882    1,882 
                             
Minimum pension liability (net of tax expense (benefit) of ($5,911),                             

  ($9,176), and $1,875) 

      (7,759)   (7,759)   (15,773)   (15,773)   2,762    2,762 
                             
Pension and other postretirement liabilities (net of tax (benefit) of ($92,419))       (75,805)          
                             
Net unrealized investment gains (net of tax expense of $28,428,                            

  $10,573, and $16,599)

      36,628    36,628    16,008    16,008    25,298    25,298 
                             
Balance at end of period:                            
  Accumulated derivative instrument fair value changes       (105,578)       (392,614)       (141,411)    
  Other accumulated comprehensive income items       5,066        48,795        47,958     
     Total       ($100,512)       ($343,819)       ($93,453)    
Comprehensive Income           $1,451,714        $647,965        $823,866 
                             
                             
PAID-IN CAPITAL                            
                             
Paid-in Capital - Beginning of period       $4,817,637        $4,835,375        $4,767,615     
                             
  Add (Deduct):                            
    Issuance of equity units             (39,904)          
    Common stock issuances related to stock plans       9,628        22,166        67,760     
                             
                             
Paid-in Capital - End of period       $4,827,265        $4,817,637        $4,835,375     
                             
                             
                             
See Notes to Financial Statements.                            
                             

54

ENTERGY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Entergy Corporation, Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy)

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Entergy Corporation and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. As required by generally accepted accounting principles, all significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements. Entergy's Registrant Subsidiaries (Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, Entergy New Orleans, and System Energy) also include their separate financial statements in this Form 10-K because those companies have registered securities with the SEC. The Registrant Subsidiaries and many other Entergy subsidiaries maintain accounts in accordance with FERC and other regulatory guidelines. Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to current classifications, with no effect on net income or shareholders' equity.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

In conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, the preparation of Entergy Corporation's consolidated financial statements and the separate financial statements of the Registrant Subsidiaries requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Adjustments to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities may be necessary in the future to the extent that future estimates or actual results are different from the estimates used.

Revenues and Fuel Costs

Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, and Entergy Mississippi generate, transmit, and distribute electric power primarily to retail customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, respectively. Entergy Gulf States generates, transmits, and distributes electric power primarily to retail customers in Texas and Louisiana. Entergy Gulf States also distributes gas to retail customers in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Entergy New Orleans sells both electric power and gas to retail customers in the City of New Orleans, except for Algiers, where Entergy Louisiana is the electric power supplier. Entergy's Non-Utility Nuclear segment derives almost all of its revenue from sales of electric power generated by plants owned by the Non-Utility Nuclear segment.

Entergy recognizes revenue from electric power and gas sales when power or gas is delivered to customers. To the extent that deliveries have occurred but a bill has not been issued, Entergy's Utility operating companies accrue an estimate of the revenues for energy delivered since the latest billings. The Utility operating companies calculate the estimate based upon several factors including billings through the last billing cycle in a month, actual generation in the month, historical line loss factors, and prices in effect in Entergy's Utility operating companies' various jurisdictions. Changes are made to the inputs in the estimate as needed to reflect changes in billing practices. Each month the estimated unbilled revenue amounts are recorded as revenue and unbilled accounts receivable, and the prior month's estimate is reversed. Therefore, changes in price and volume differences resulting from factors such as weather affect the calculation of unbilled revenues from one period to the next, and may result in variability in reported revenues from one period to the next as prior estimates are reversed and new estimates recorded.

Entergy's Utility operating companies' rate schedules include either fuel adjustment clauses or fixed fuel factors, which allow either current recovery in billings to customers or deferral of fuel costs until the costs are billed to customers. Because the fuel adjustment clause mechanism allows monthly adjustments to recover fuel costs, Entergy New Orleans and, prior to 2006, Entergy Louisiana and the Louisiana portion of Entergy Gulf States include a component of fuel cost recovery in their unbilled revenue calculations. Effective January 1, 2006, however, for Entergy Louisiana and the Louisiana portion of Entergy Gulf States this fuel component of unbilled accounts receivable was reclassified to a deferred fuel asset and is no longer

 

55

 

 

 included in the unbilled revenue calculations, which is in accordance with regulatory treatment. Where the fuel component of revenues is billed based on a pre-determined fuel cost (fixed fuel factor), the fuel factor remains in effect until changed as part of a general rate case, fuel reconciliation, or fixed fuel factor filing. Entergy Mississippi's fuel factor includes an energy cost rider that is adjusted quarterly. In the case of Entergy Arkansas and the Texas portion of Entergy Gulf States, a portion of their fuel under-recoveries are treated in the cash flow statements as regulatory investments because those companies are allowed by their regulatory jurisdictions to recover the fuel cost regulatory asset over longer than a twelve-month period, and the companies earn a carrying charge on the under-recovered balances.

System Energy's operating revenues are intended to recover from Entergy Arkansas, Entergy Louisiana, Entergy Mississippi, and Entergy New Orleans operating expenses and capital costs attributable to Grand Gulf. The capital costs are computed by allowing a return on System Energy's common equity funds allocable to its net investment in Grand Gulf, plus System Energy's effective interest cost for its debt allocable to its investment in Grand Gulf.

Property, Plant, and Equipment

Property, plant, and equipment is stated at original cost. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line basis at rates based on the estimated service lives of the various classes of property. For the Registrant Subsidiaries, the original cost of plant retired or removed, less salvage, is charged to accumulated depreciation. Normal maintenance, repairs, and minor replacement costs are charged to operating expenses. Substantially all of the Registrant Subsidiaries' plant is subject to mortgage liens.

Electric plant includes the portions of Grand Gulf and Waterford 3 that have been sold and leased back. For financial reporting purposes, these sale and leaseback arrangements are reflected as financing transactions.

Net property, plant, and equipment for Entergy (including property under capital lease and associated accumulated amortization) by business segment and functional category, as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, is shown below:



2006

 



Entergy

 



Utility

 


Non-Utility
Nuclear

 


All
Other

(In Millions)

Production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Nuclear

 

$7,558

 

$5,835

 

$1,723

 

$-

   Other

 

1,610

 

1,373

 

-

 

237

Transmission

 

2,500

 

2,500

 

-

 

-

Distribution

 

5,041

 

5,041

 

-

 

-

Other

 

1,113

 

1,111

 

-

 

2

Construction work in progress

 

786

 

602

 

175

 

9

Nuclear fuel (leased and owned)

 

830

 

476

 

354

 

-

Property, plant, and equipment - net

 

$19,438

 

$16,938

 

$2,252

 

$248

56



2005



Entergy

 



Utility

 


Non-Utility
Nuclear

 


All
Other

(In Millions)

Production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Nuclear

 

$7,390

 

$5,955

 

$1,435

 

$-

  Other

 

1,590

 

1,321

 

-

 

269

Transmission

 

2,394

 

2,394

 

-

 

-

Distribution

 

4,599

 

4,599

 

-

 

-

Other

 

992

 

989

 

-

 

3

Construction work in progress

 

1,524

 

1,268

 

232

 

24

Nuclear fuel (leased and owned)

 

708

 

373

 

335

 

-

Property, plant, and equipment - net

 

$19,197

 

$16,899

 

$2,002

 

$296

Depreciation rates on average depreciable property for Entergy approximated 2.7% in 2006, 2.7% in 2005, and 2.8% in 2004. Included in these rates are the depreciation rates on average depreciable utility property of 2.6% in 2006, 2.6% in 2005, and 2.7% in 2004 and the depreciation rates on average depreciable non-utility property of 3.6% in 2006, 3.2% in 2005, and 3.8% in 2004.

"Non-utility property - at cost (less accumulated depreciation)" for Entergy is reported net of accumulated depreciation of $167.5 million and $162.2 million as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

Net property, plant, and equipment for the Registrant Subsidiaries (including property under capital lease and associated accumulated amortization) by company and functional category, as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, is shown below:


2006

 

Entergy
Arkansas

 

Entergy
Gulf States

 

Entergy
Louisiana

 

Entergy
Mississippi

 

Entergy
New Orleans

 

System
Energy

   

(In Millions)

Production

                       

  Nuclear

 

$1,101

 

$1,540

 

$1,495

 

$-

 

$-

 

$1,699

  Other

 

246

 

481

 

356

 

290

 

2

 

-

Transmission

 

690

 

872

 

502

 

429

 

23

 

7

Distribution

 

1,384

 

1,496

 

1,324

 

837

 

256

 

-

Other

 

197

 

298

 

311

 

191

 

157

 

14

Construction work in progress

 

113

 

149

 

190

 

80

 

22

 

38

Nuclear fuel (leased and owned)

 

146

 

84

 

82

 

-

 

-

 

66

Property, plant, and equipment - net

 

$3,877

 

$4,920

 

$4,260

 

$1,827

 

$460

 

$1,824


2005

 

Entergy
Arkansas

 

Entergy
Gulf States

 

Entergy
Louisiana

 

Entergy
Mississippi

 

Entergy
New Orleans

 

System
Energy

 

(In Millions)

Production

                       

  Nuclear

 

$1,065

 

$1,597

 

$1,526